Vernon police issue parking restrictions near Appalachian Trail

BY ERIKA NORTON
VERNON — After heavy congestion and safety concerns, the Vernon Township Chief of Police announced Sunday that there will be no parking on nine roads near the Appalachian Trailhead on weekends and holidays due to “unsafe conditions.”
Chief Randy Mills announced in a press release that vehicles would not be allowed to park on Carol Drive, Meadowlark Drive, Ann Place, Cover Court, Vlietstra Drive, Thistle Avenue, Ivy Place, Old Glenwood Circle and specifically marked sections of County Road 517 on Monday, Feb. 10, or Presidents Day. Going forward, vehicles will not be allowed to park in these locations on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays between the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mills said in the statement that the reason for the restrictions is “the unsafe conditions created by the vehicles parking on” these roadways.
“Those attempting to access the Appalachian Trail will find extremely limited parking available in this area,” Mills said in his statement. “It is highly suggested you access the trail from an area with appropriate parking available.”
However, Mills said that the Vernon police were not able to recommend alternative parking areas to use instead of those roadway.
Vernon Mayor Harry Shortway said he and Mills went down to the trailhead on Sunday.
“I never saw anything like it and I’ve been here since that trail was built,” Shortway said. “I would double what I thought was like last year, was that inconvenience was a possibility — there were actual hazards happening.”
He said he saw pickup trucks trying to parallel park from 517 into a spot, cars parked in the middle of roads, cars doing K-turns on 517, children walking in the middle of the street and cars going into residential driveways.
Parking at this trailhead has been an ongoing issue for the township, and Shortway said that they have complained and asked for help from the state and the Appalachian Trail Conservatory, but have not received any. He said the township has put up signage to slow down traffic and crosswalks, but there’s not much else they can do.
“My phone was ringing like crazy all day Sunday with people voicing their concerns and I get it,” he said. “I’m just frustrated because I can’t build the boardwalk by myself. I feel their pain and you know, we want to welcome people here. We’re not prepared to handle the hundreds of people coming here on the weekends.”
A parking lot near the trail has been proposed going back to 2008, but has never become a reality due to financial constraints.
Shortway said the only real solution he sees is to build a second boardwalk connecting to the trail, pushing the parking problem to an area of town where it would be more welcome, such as near businesses like Wings Asian Bistro, Pizza Station or Mountain Creek. A greenway would connect the Appalachian Trail right to that boardwalk.
The problem is that Vernon does not have the money for a project like that, which Shortway estimated would be about $1 million. The town would most likely need to receive a grant to at least begin the project.
Until then, this parking ordinance will be in effect.
“There are no easy answers to this solution,” he said. “I don't see the AT (Appalachian Trail) Conservatory or the state or anybody willing to take that step. It’s like Vernon, this is your problem. We’re not going to have somebody get killed at this because other agencies and entities do not address this problem, so we’re taking immediate action to safeguard property and lives.”