Mr. Jung opposes Gibson Street Project, Plymouth Common Council approves design

Friday, July 26, 2024 at 3:10 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

A letter of concern from Stephen Jung pertaining to the Gibson Street improvement project was read during the Plymouth Common Council meeting on Monday because Mr. Jung wrote “I decided it would be best for me not to speak in person for fear of losing my temper and elevating my blood pressure to a dangerous level.”

Jung isn’t happy with the plans for Gibson Street and said, “The first problem I have with the project is the fact that the neighborhood has been kept in the dark about what was being done.” He said he knew they were getting new curbs and sidewalks, and that the street was going to be resurfaced but he didn’t know that street parking was being eliminated on the south side of Gibson Street between Liberty and Lincolnway East. Once he saw the lines being marked on the street, he contacted Mayor Listenberger and received a copy of the plans.

After reviewing the plans Mr. Jung’s letter says he doesn’t like losing parking on the south side of Gibson Street, doesn’t like the bumpouts, and doesn’t like the width of the street being narrowed down to 11-foot driving lanes and 8-foot-wide parking spaces on the north side of the street.

Mayor Listenberger, City Councilman Dave Morrow, City Engineer Dan Sellers and Street Superintendent Jim Marquardt met with Mr. Jung and looked at his concerns. This project has been in the works for over 3-years and the Board of Public Works and Safety has discussed it during public meetings.

In Mr. Jung’s letter he says, “I do not think most people realize how much traffic goes down this street every day. There was never a traffic count done on the street. You are trying to solve a traffic problem that exists for an hour a day, 9-months out of the year. I have lived on this street for the last 35 or more years and have driven it every day. My opinion should mean something.”

Street Superintendent Marquardt asked the Board of Works if they wanted to stay with the design work from VS Engineering for the Gibson Street Project and the board was unanimously supportive.

Due to Mr. Jungs concerns the project was delayed nearly two weeks so the city offered the contractor an extension for completion. Initially the project was scheduled to be completed by August 9^th.