WALTON — Shirley Steward feels like she's being trapped behind a bridge.

        So she's running for council — and so are four of her High Street neighbors.

The High Street Bridge in Walton (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        Mrs. Steward and her neighbors filed to run for City Council in November, largely because of a controversial bridge relocation issue. High Street residents make up five of the 12 candidates for the six-member council.

        The long-time resident of High Street is concerned that if a bridge passing over a railroad on her street is relocated, she and her neighbors will be cut off from the rest of town.

        “Don't box us in like we're a bunch of wild animals,” said Mrs. Steward. “We don't deserve that.”

        The controversy began in February when the Federal Highway Administration approved Walton for bridge replacement program funds. The state matched the funds, and $3 million became available to replace the aging bridge.

        Originally, the plan was to fix the existing bridge where it stands. But because of railroad regulations, it would have to be three feet higher. The result would be a dangerously steep grade of 13.5 percent on the bridge.

        Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials thought it would be best to look at alternatives.

        “You don't have a lot of room to bring it back down,” said Kevin Rust, District 6 design engineer for the Transportation Cabinet. “With wet pavement, especially with snow or ice, people wouldn't be able to stop. I'm afraid some of the residents of High Street don't understand how dangerous this would be.”

        So the cabinet came up with three possibilities for the bridge. Plan 1 would be to move it to Jones Road, the name the road assumes when it goes into Kenton County. Plan 2 would put it on Mary Grubbs Highway, with the road possibly being built underneath the existing railroad tracks. This plan would be the most expensive.

        Plan 3 is to replace it where it is, as Mrs. Steward and others on High Street are suggesting.

        Plan 1 was quickly dismissed by KDOT. High Street supporters felt there was a development motive behind that plan.

        “It's for private developers who want to develop in Kenton County,” said Mary Glacken, another High Street resident who filed for council. “They want a nicer situation to put homes back there. And we don't want it.”

        The Jones Road option would provide access from an undeveloped piece of land to Interstate 75.

        In an effort to keep the bridge on High Street, Mrs. Steward and Mrs. Glacken circulated a petition and took it to council.

        Mrs. Steward said a vast majority of residents of the 64 houses on High Street and nearby Showalter signed the petition and presented it to Mayor Phil Trzop. Mrs. Steward said Mr. Trzop and council dismissed the petition, so they gathered another one.

        But Mr. Trzop said the petition's text was misleading because it alleged that he met with private developers and engineers in a closed meeting to discuss the alternatives.

        The mayor said there were never any developers at the engineers meeting and he has made no contact with them.

        He threatened to sue for defamation of character anyone who would take responsibility for writing the petition's text. No one has claimed responsibility for writing the petition.

        “I've never lied to the citizens of Walton,” said Mr. Trzop. “But it's a great way to get everybody stirred up. Even if I deny it, they'll call me a liar — and they did.”

        Mr. Trzop said no resident has come directly to him to discuss the matter.

        Relocation opponents on High Street say one major concern with relocation is emergency access. They say the Mary Grubbs Highway plan would cause emergency vehicles to take longer to get to residents of the street.

        Mr. Trzop argues that it won't take much longer, it will be safer and the street itself would become safer because much of the city's traffic would bypass the residential area.

        He also pointed out that the 18 months it would take to replace the High Street bridge where it is now would cut the residents off altogether.

        The homes of Mrs. Glacken, Betty Hensley (another High Street council candidate), and the Waltonian Hotel would have to be purchased to make way for a new High Street bridge.

        Mrs. Glacken and Mrs. Hensley say that selling their property is not their motivation for wanting the bridge to be rebuilt where it is.

        “If I wanted to sell my house, I'd put a "For Sale' sign on it,” said Mrs. Hensley. “I would rather sell my house and stay in Walton than be stuck on a dead-end street.”

        The transportation cabinet has held two public meetings to discuss the project. Mr. Rust said another one would be held sometime in September to get more resident input and to inform residents of the details. Mr. Trzop said that meeting would allow residents to get all the facts.

        Should any of the High Street residents be elected to council, they will not make a decision on this project.

        In fact, neither will the current council — because it is the transportation cabinet's final decision.

        Mrs. Glacken, Mrs. Steward and Mrs. Hensley understand that but say this situation has inspired them to become more involved.

        “I think the bridge situation brought city government to the forefront of my mind,” said Mrs. Hensley. “Yes, I do want to see the bridge stay where it is, but (my interest in running) is much more than that.”

        The other two High Street candidates are Barb Clifton and Donald McIntyre. Neither could be reached for comment. Mrs. Clifton was the only one of the five High Street candidates who did not sign the petition.
       

After snubbing Cincinnati, Cosby coming to Oxford
Some won't give up on Sabin plans
Downtown businesses watch plans come, go
Downtown retail projects slowed by drab economy
Food, crafts show scheduled in Reading
Jim Coomer lived the life of a riverman
Judge sentences Waagner to 20 more years for gun, car thefts
Second home for teens
Supporters of Israel rally in Blue Ash
Tristate A.M. Report
Two-week vacation ends for convict
Wrecks snarl traffic on I-71
You've read 'Seabiscuit'; now you can be in the movie
BRONSON: Defending Iraq Why the media get no respect
HOWARD: Some Good News
SMITH AMOS: Policing the police
WELLS: Convention center
Edgewood, Cinergy OK tax amount
Neighbors raise stink over smell
Ross schools reduce levy request on Nov. ballot
Scholarships for the stage
Terminal, not airport, named for Hogans
Bad wigs abound at ballpark
Ohio considers Amber alerts
Ohio may have 3rd West Nile case
Ohio revokes liquor license of Uncle Milt's bar in Avondale
Suspect in 4 murders had troubled, not violent, past
Bridge troubles Walton
Customers would - and do - travel 500 miles for this sale
Kentucky Political Notes
'O Brother' artists to play Clooney festival
Trucker sought after woman reports attack