LeClaire fences over fence concerns

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By Mary Louise Speer | Sunday, June 15, 2008 |

LeCLAIRE, Iowa — Business owners, residents and city officials are finding themselves on different sides of the fence over plans to put up chain-link fencing between railroad tracks and the downtown riverfront levee.

Proponents say a barricade will improve public safety, especially during major events such as Tug Fest and RAGBRAI. Opponents are concerned about cutting off pleasing views of the Mississippi River. LeClaire City Council will vote on bids to install a permanent, 4-foot-high, decorative fence at tonight’s meeting.

No Fence signs are scattered around the Green Tree Emporium and Design Studio.

“For 160 years, there’s never been a fence between the town and the river. Look at what you see out this window. Look over the railroad tracks and envision a black chain fence,” said owner D.R. Peterson, who treasures her view of the mighty Mississippi. “No one is anti-Tug Fest. No one is anti-RAGBRAI.”

“We don’t want a fence on the levee. It’s a negative impact on our riverfront,” said downtown resident Jan Ramsey.

“That river is our number one asset, and we want others to come and visit here,” said Deb Willaredt, owner of Artswork. “We do not want this to be a contentious issue. We want to have that discussion before it’s voted on about whether we want to put a permanent fence in, whether or not there’s a public safety issue.”

The police are concerned about keeping people out of harm’s way when trains travel through at 49 mph, Police Chief James Pfeiffer said.

“My concern is public safety. I understand what their positions are, but strictly from the purview of safety, I believe the fence would enhance the safety of visitors,” he said. “If a child wandered up on the tracks that could be catastrophic. If people were committing a crime (such as breaking into cars) on the levee, the fence would control their ingress and egress.”

The railroad crossings at Wisconsin and Jones streets were reconstructed recently, making those points safer for vehicle and pedestrian crossings, he said. Also, individuals who park on the levee could trip on railroad ties and rocks when taking the most direct route from their vehicle to downtown shops and businesses.

“We don’t want anyone struck by a fast-moving train,” Pfeiffer said.

“We know it’s dangerous, but it’s not like people are being hit by trains,” Rich Henning, owner of Happy Joe’s restaurant, LeClaire, said. “I think fences say stay out. They don’t say come in.”

Downtown business owners have limited parking for employees, customers and tourists, and the levee provides additional space. However, people don’t want to walk an extra 100 yards to the access openings at the Jones or Wisconsin crossings, he said.

Henning is concerned about how fast city officials are moving on the issue.

Construction of a fence was included in the levee paving project back in 2004-05, City Administrator Edwin Choate said. The matter was also discussed at the April 28 committee-of-the-whole meeting.

During Tug Fest, volunteers put up a plastic snow fence for two reasons, said Mike Couch, of the LeClaire Levee Commission. Tug Fest visitors pay admission as they enter the levee to enjoy Tug events and carnival.

“Basically, you have a lot of children down here and a lot of trains going back and forth,” Couch said. “It’s a safety issue.”

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.