Chillicothe — The plans to renovate Yoctangee Park and surrounding streets continue to move ahead, though with a later start than intended. Another part of those plans is being revised – rebuilding the intersection of Riverside and Mulberry street – and a council committee is discussing that tonight.
The ACGP (Appalachian Community Grant Program) plan for Yoctangee Park and neighboring streets was unveiled on May 1st, 2024. A few open houses and several council and committee discussion have resulted, with some public pushback. The latest display of plans was on April 14th.
The original plan for this intersection showed a redirecting of lanes and reduction of pavement, presumably to control traffic flow for increased safety.
In addition, the new visitors center that had been planned to be part of new building(s) near the armory has been separated out and is being funded separately by the state at a new location, at the northwest corner of this intersection of Riverside and Mulberry streets.
The Chillicothe Parks & Recreation service center complex was demolished recently partly to make way for this plan, thought there is no timeline on this project – unlike the tight fall 2026 deadline for the ACGP plans.
In the September 8th Chillicothe Council, it was announced that because of increased construction estimates, brick might not go back into the reworked intersection. Committee chair Jeff Creed outlined that in his briefing on the plan in the September 8th council session.
Creed said the bricks were “worn out” and were originally planned to be replaced with new bricks. Now, because of cost increases stretching the ACGP project’s budget, they are considering not even installing new brick – instead, just using asphalt, at only 32.5% of the cost of manually playing out new bricks, as outlined in the handout plan.
Creed’s announcement of the committee meeting tonight:
“I am scheduling a Finance/Technology Committee meeting for Wednesday September 17 at 5:00 pm in council chambers at 26 S Paint St to discuss the following committee assignments.
“ASSIGNMENT 25-072
FINANCE/TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
COST CONSIDERATIONS OF RESURFACING OPTIONS FOR MULBERRY STREET…”
As a historian, I have stated that all city streets that existed before 1920 – maybe even 1940 – were paved with brick. This “brick” is more accurately called “paving block,” which is much harder, denser, heavier, and slightly larger than typical building brick.
It’s just that most streets have been covered with asphalt, and the brick pavement forgotten…until the asphalt is ground off for repaving, and the bricks exposed. (Find several of my posts complaining about this plan for the intersection on my business Facebook page.)
In December of 1985, Chillicothe City Council passed an ordinance to protect exposed brick pavement:
123.08 PRESERVATION OF BRICK AND COBBLESTONE STREETS AND ALLEYS. (Ord. 126-85. Passed 12-9-85.)
(a) The administration is hereby directed to oversee and enforce a policy to maintain and preserve the remaining brick and cobblestone streets and alleys in the City.
(b) Where such streets or alleys are opened for any purpose, including but not limited to repair to utility lines or devices, any contractor and company engaged in or involved with repairing or closing such street or alley shall be bound by the terms of this section which may be enforced by appropriate action by the Director of Law.
