By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The City of Parsons voted to extend a No Parking Zone at the intersection of First Street and Walnut. The new measure is slated to assist with safety concerns with the area. The measure is slated to extend the existing No Parking Zone an additional 18 to 20 feet at the intersection. “This is talking about the parking space up at the intersection of First Street and Walnut,” City Administrator Agnes Arnold said, “so that we can see to get out and turn left or even right.”
Arnold said she had spoken to the Traffic Engineer out of Elkins about the situation at the intersection. The Engineer inspected the site and approved the of change, according to Arnold, but had requested the change be approved by the council for his records. “He did come over, look at it. He just wanted to make sure that it was brought forth to the council for approval to have something in his records,” Arnold said.
Arnold informed the council that the Engineer considered the intersection to be dangerous for the citizens of Parsons. “He definitely said it is a dangerous intersection with the traffic being out to that distance,” Arnold said. Council Member Tim Auvil commented how vehicles need to stick out into the intersection in order to see to exit.
The new No Parking Zone will extend the existing space another parking space, according to Arnold, giving an additional 18 to 20 feet. “We’ll be moving it back at least one space, 18 to 20 feet back,” Arnold said. “It will be extending the painted line back a little bit.”
Parsons Police Chief Kevin Keplinger said there have been accidents at the intersection. “We’ve had accidents there,” Keplinger said.
A motion made by Council Member Melissa Jones was unanimously approved by the Council. There is no word when the zone extension will be completed.