Plan OK’d to improve Olive Branch library’s parking

B.J. Chain branch shares cramped lot

The head l i bra ri an of Olive Branch’s library praised officials for planned changes to i mprove t he parking and traffic flow of the cramped lot.

“We’re very thankful for that,” said Suzanne Argo. “We’re thankful for anything they can do for us.”

Patrons of t he B. J. Chain Public Library branch who plan to attend special programs at the library too often are late because they have been driving around to find parking, Argo said. She often hears complaints.

Mayor Scott Phillips also characterized parking at the library as “always … a problem.” He broke a tie vote last week to get a redo of the lot started.

The Board of Aldermen, with one member absent, was split in half about whether to pursue the project at this time.

Steve Bigelow, city engineer, told the governmental body that the state Department of Transportation was willing to put in new curb cuts for access to the lot while work was being done to widen Miss. 305 at no additional cost. That would save some money. Meanwhile, the county is reportedly willing to pay half of the $200,000 cost.

The county Board of Supervisors is set to decide formally on splitting the cost at its Monday meeting.

The library shares the lot with the state driver’s license renewal station and offices of the DeSoto County Health Department.

There is a curb cut in front of the health department. The licensing station and library are served by two curb cuts. MDOT would do away with those two driveways and put in two new ones feet away that are expected to be in safer spots.

The initial plan, which still may undergo changes, calls for a drive to be extended to Miss. 305 to help with the flow of traffic. While the drive would take away some spaces, a reworking of the lot would restore spaces, Bigelow said.

At least 80 parking spaces are available inside the shared lot, and the working plan bumps up the number to 106, but Argo said the library still needs more spaces.

The library is secondbusiest in the state. More than 3,000 people a week come use its services. Special programs draw in people at one time, bringing spaces to a premium. Patrons sometimes park at a nearby bank.

Alderman Harold Henderson saw the value in reworking the library lot, but he didn’t want the money spent on it right now due to other needs. He cited roads that were not being repaved because of lack of money.

He also was concerned that the working plan would not work. He said the drive extension would go right through an area pedestrians now use.

Henderson, Gil Earhart and Pat Hamilton voted against proceeding with the project right now. Aldermen Mark Aldridge, Dale Dickerson and Da- vid Wallace voted for it. The mayor broke the tie with a vote to proceed.

Phillips later said he decided that while money was needed for repaving streets, the library project would impact lots of Olive Branch citizens from all over the city.