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Daphne’s Dispatch: Construction in Athens disrupts town and lives

Ongoing construction around various parts of Athens and Court Street has disrupted the lives of residents, business owners and Ohio University students. Construction is mandatory to restore roads, walkways or buildings but passersby may feel the construction obstructs living comfortably in an already smaller town such as Athens.

A large concern for the Athens community has been the hindrance of uneven bricks that make accessibility difficult to get around Uptown Athens. The Athens City Commission on Disabilities has discussed sui the City of Athens for not making progress on plans to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. ADA is a civil rights law that requires equality for people with disabilities, including mobility accommodations. 

Dave McNelly, chair of the Commission expressed his frustration to The Post about the lack of accessibility. “It’s been eight years asking for things, for crosswalks and curb cuts that make the ADA, which is federal law, and they keep not getting done,” he said.

As new construction sites pop up all over Athens, it begs some to wonder if what is being restored and refurbished is going to serve the entire Athens community, and how much longer is it going to take. Construction sites near Uptown Athens have delayed students from getting to class. Locations such on East Union and Court Street as Schoonover Center and Copeland Hall, as well as the Alumni Gateway all stand in naturally congested areas of uptown and with added construction, students have to navigate how to get to class on time when new cones pop up. 

Construction that has taken a considerable toll on Athens has been the restoration of the Lostro building. At the corner of South Court and West Union Street, the building construction began last year. If not having seen the construction, it has temporarily closed surrounding crosswalks and public parking spaces. Additionally, due to parked construction machinery, businesses on surrounding streets have been blocked, which could drive away customers.

Sara Quoia Bryant, owner of Cool Digs Rock Shop located at 13 W. Union St. spoke to The Post about the construction of the Lostro building that has blocked off the main parts of the sidewalk by her shop entry. “I know I’m not the only business owner in this community that has had trouble getting help from our administration, who has had a lot of solid construction projects, and I’m just going to call it what it is,“ Bryant said. "It’s bad city planning and it affects real lives." 

There are measures the city could be taking to manage construction in various parts of Athens. The city should be communicating with business owners should construction obstruct their storefronts. There should also be coordination to work efficiently so as not to obstruct streets or crosswalks for a long time, creating congestion and traffic. Additionally, the city should prioritize Athens resident's requests to fix curbs, sidewalks, and walkways if not accessible and meet their needs.

Athens has been recognized as having a walkable uptown and a vibrant community. This recongition is thanks to the attainable businesses and sights within just a few miles of each other. There should be a change implemented in the way construction is managed in Athens so that the city remains walkable and vibrant.

Daphne Graeter is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Daphne know by emailing her at dg422421@ohio.edu.

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