MONROE - Some residents on 9th Street are not denying the need for replacing old sewer and water lines along their street. But not all agree widening the road is necessary, and some are not happy with the city's acquisition of property for the project.
The city plans to widen the road by as much as eight feet in places to allow for two lanes of traffic plus a middle turning lane. The state Department of Transportation recommended widening the street for safety. Construction is expected to start in March.
Some residents said the road widening is not needed based on the amount of traffic.
In 2004, Police Chief Fred Kelley indicated traffic volume along the 8th and 9th streets corridor was about 14,000 vehicles per day.
Katherine Updike, who has lived 14 years in 1200 block of 9th Street, says traffic hinders her from getting onto 9th Street.
"Some people don't think there's much traffic, but if you lived here, you'd know. We have a hard time getting out onto 9th Street," she said.
Updike's home sits on a corner lot, and her driveway accesses the avenue rather than 9th Street.
"We always said we wouldn't have bought the house if the driveway was off 9th Street, because there's so much traffic," she said.
Her house is set back far enough from the street to still have some front yard after the widening of the road, but, she said some houses will be pretty close to the road.
"Something had to be done anyhow - it's so rough," she said about the road's condition.
Updike said she was not asked to sign a petition opposing the widening, which was presented to the city's Board of Public Works Monday. She settled with the city on a price for the strip of land in front of her home, needed for widening the road.
"What will be will be, I say. They'll do what they want," she said.
Steve Owen, pastor at Liberty Baptist Church on the corner of 9th Street and 13th Avenue, said his congregation is content with the price they got from the city for their strip of land and is in favor of the widening.
"There's a tremendous amount of traffic (on 9th Street)," he said.
"Once the construction is done, it's not going to have a (negative) impact on us," he said. "It's good for the city."
The church's parking lot is located off 13th Avenue, and there is no other way into the lot except by way of 9th Street. But a traffic light at the corner helps.
"We're comfortable," Owen said.
Bruce and Jill Stiner, who live on the 1300 block of 9th Street, did sign the petition.
They will be losing a 4-foot strip of property, including several mature trees, and will be left with about 10-12 feet for the front yard and a sidewalk.
The city's easement during construction will take out their front steps, which will be replaced by the city.
Jill Stiner said the construction will be a great personal inconvenience by blocking their driveway and creating noise, and also will hurt downtown businesses.
"It's going to be a mess, and very tangled," she said. "And they'll be taking down a lot of trees that have been there a long time."
But it's the results of a wider street that cause them more concern.
"It's the loss of everybody's trees. The (traffic) noise is going to be closer. If someday we want to sell, nobody wants a house that close to the road," Jill Stiner said.
Bruce Stiner believes the houses on the street will eventually become rental properties and of lower value.
"The city didn't show us what the value of the property is going to be after (the widening)," he said.
The city's offer for the 4-foot strip of land in front on his home was not what he thought it should be.
"They forgot about the trees and what this is going to do to us," he said.
"It doesn't make sense, for the future or for safety," he said. "We (the city) can't afford the plowing (of streets) now. People walking on the sidewalks are going to be able to knock on the windows of houses."
Bruce Stiner said in the 40 years since he moved to Monroe, the population has increased from about 8,000 to about 11,000. He has lived in his present home since 1981.
Traffic on 9th Street is busy only at certain times of the day, he said.
"The morning traffic and between about 3 to 5 p.m., and when MAC or the high school has events, but I can still get out of my driveway. After 7 p.m. - you can run down the street," he said.
The city plans to widen the road by as much as eight feet in places to allow for two lanes of traffic plus a middle turning lane. The state Department of Transportation recommended widening the street for safety. Construction is expected to start in March.
Some residents said the road widening is not needed based on the amount of traffic.
In 2004, Police Chief Fred Kelley indicated traffic volume along the 8th and 9th streets corridor was about 14,000 vehicles per day.
Katherine Updike, who has lived 14 years in 1200 block of 9th Street, says traffic hinders her from getting onto 9th Street.
"Some people don't think there's much traffic, but if you lived here, you'd know. We have a hard time getting out onto 9th Street," she said.
Updike's home sits on a corner lot, and her driveway accesses the avenue rather than 9th Street.
"We always said we wouldn't have bought the house if the driveway was off 9th Street, because there's so much traffic," she said.
Her house is set back far enough from the street to still have some front yard after the widening of the road, but, she said some houses will be pretty close to the road.
"Something had to be done anyhow - it's so rough," she said about the road's condition.
Updike said she was not asked to sign a petition opposing the widening, which was presented to the city's Board of Public Works Monday. She settled with the city on a price for the strip of land in front of her home, needed for widening the road.
"What will be will be, I say. They'll do what they want," she said.
Steve Owen, pastor at Liberty Baptist Church on the corner of 9th Street and 13th Avenue, said his congregation is content with the price they got from the city for their strip of land and is in favor of the widening.
"There's a tremendous amount of traffic (on 9th Street)," he said.
"Once the construction is done, it's not going to have a (negative) impact on us," he said. "It's good for the city."
The church's parking lot is located off 13th Avenue, and there is no other way into the lot except by way of 9th Street. But a traffic light at the corner helps.
"We're comfortable," Owen said.
Bruce and Jill Stiner, who live on the 1300 block of 9th Street, did sign the petition.
They will be losing a 4-foot strip of property, including several mature trees, and will be left with about 10-12 feet for the front yard and a sidewalk.
The city's easement during construction will take out their front steps, which will be replaced by the city.
Jill Stiner said the construction will be a great personal inconvenience by blocking their driveway and creating noise, and also will hurt downtown businesses.
"It's going to be a mess, and very tangled," she said. "And they'll be taking down a lot of trees that have been there a long time."
But it's the results of a wider street that cause them more concern.
"It's the loss of everybody's trees. The (traffic) noise is going to be closer. If someday we want to sell, nobody wants a house that close to the road," Jill Stiner said.
Bruce Stiner believes the houses on the street will eventually become rental properties and of lower value.
"The city didn't show us what the value of the property is going to be after (the widening)," he said.
The city's offer for the 4-foot strip of land in front on his home was not what he thought it should be.
"They forgot about the trees and what this is going to do to us," he said.
"It doesn't make sense, for the future or for safety," he said. "We (the city) can't afford the plowing (of streets) now. People walking on the sidewalks are going to be able to knock on the windows of houses."
Bruce Stiner said in the 40 years since he moved to Monroe, the population has increased from about 8,000 to about 11,000. He has lived in his present home since 1981.
Traffic on 9th Street is busy only at certain times of the day, he said.
"The morning traffic and between about 3 to 5 p.m., and when MAC or the high school has events, but I can still get out of my driveway. After 7 p.m. - you can run down the street," he said.