By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
A fence will soon be going up close to the new sidewalk along the southeast side of Wirt Road near the Groveport Elementary School playground.
Groveport City Council approved allowing the Groveport Madison School District to install the fence in part of the Wirt Road right-of-way that extends beyond the sidewalk. About 140 feet of the fence will be in the right-of-way. The fence will be on the southeast side of the new sidewalk.
“For the most part the fence is not in the right-of-way,” said Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall.
She said the right-of-way bows out a bit in places around 3.5 feet at most.
The original chain link fence was removed to allow room for construction of the new Wirt Road concrete sidewalk, which was built this summer and extends from Heritage Park to Groveport Elementary School.
Groveport Madison Schools Communications Officer Jeff Warner said the fence will be chain link.
“We plan to install a fence that is similar to what was there before,” said Warner.
Warner said the fence is needed for safety purposes.
Traffic at high school
Groveport City Councilman Shawn Cleary said he is concerned about potential traffic problems arising at Groveport Madison High School once school begins due to the construction of the new high school and the limited parking.
Cleary asked Groveport Police Chief Ralph Portier if steps are being taken to ensure traffic safety in the area, both during school days and during home football games and other night time events at the school.
Portier said he is concerned about people attempting to park along State Route 317 or other parking areas across from the school and then trying to cross the busy four lane highway on foot.
“It would be especially dangerous after dark,” said Portier. “Pedestrians and vehicular traffic don’t mix.”
Portier said the Groveport Police will monitor the traffic flow at the high school once school starts and then provide recommendations on the situation.
