The Erlanger city council returned to the planned construction and improvements on Narrows Road at Tuesday night’s meeting, where residents had much to say on the topic.
This follows last month’s public workshop on the project, held on Feb. 26.
“Traffic control will be set up as this project will see one lane shut down while the contractor is on site. Some residents will lose access to their driveways for a few days,” the city’s announcement noted.
The plan also changes the speed limit in the targeted area from 35 mph to 25 mph. Construction has not started yet, but it must be completed by June 30. The work will be done at Riegler Blacktop.
Resident Marlene Pyke was the first to tell the council during public comment that the street’s speed limit needed to change permanently.
“With the new sidewalk going in, I feel like it needs to be brought down and made more like a subdivision street,” Pyke said.
Johnna Hermann also spoke in favor of a lower speed limit, including an appeal for increased signage along the road. “Maybe one of those signs that they have that says ‘Rolling stop: $150, complete stop: free,’” she said.
Amy and Brian Bockrath, neighbors of Pyke, had stronger language about the proposal. The couple said that after being asked to grant the city an easement for the project, they worried that the resulting runoff into their backyard pond would potentially cause flooding that could damage the foundation of an outbuilding, or even cause environmental harm.
The Bockraths say that when they brought their concerns to the attention of Erlanger Public Works officials and local surveying firm Viox & Viox, they were told that their pond water level would continue as normal. Amy Bockrath added that a Viox & Viox representative told her that she and her husband “chose to purchase this low-lying property.”
“Basically, we were told the city and mayor would not assume responsibility for losses on our property should they occur,” Amy Bockrath said. “We have been disregarded since that May meeting.”
The Bockraths have since requested all information related to water runoff analysis done by the city related to the project.