Jeffersonville bridge officials: Homeless camps need to be moved

Jeffersonville bridge officials: Homeless camps need to be moved
By The Associated Press

Friday, August 9, 2013

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. — (AP) — Project managers for a new Ohio River bridge between Indiana and Kentucky are pressing for the removal of makeshift homeless camps in the span’s path so that ground-clearing can proceed for the bridge’s ramps.

Indiana and Kentucky officials told members of the Jeffersonville-Clarksville Homelessness Task Force on Thursday that the homeless residents need to be moved for both ground-preparation work and safety reasons.

“It’s not safe for people to be within the construction zone unless you have the proper vest, hard hat, boots, and you’re out there doing the job,” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet project manager Andy Barber told the panel.

Thursday’s meeting was requested by project officials from both states and contractor Walsh Construction. Task force members had complained that workers from a subcontractor cleared a homeless encampment as they began removing trees and brush near Interstate 65 in Jeffersonville, according to the News and Tribune and The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Ky.

Task force members said no one was inside the camp at the time. But during Thursday’s meeting, project officials apologized to the task force, which Mayor Mike Moore formed after halting homeless sweeps.

A project spokesman said last week the subcontractor was not aware of the policy. Bridge project officials said workers have since been instructed not to interact with the homeless people living under overpasses and camps elsewhere.

The new downtown bridge, connecting Louisville and Jeffersonville, Ind., will go up alongside the existing Kennedy Bridge on I-65.

Blake Morris, project manager for Walsh overseeing the bridge section where the new I-65 bridge will meet land in Indiana, told task force members Thursday that crews will begin clearing part of that area within days.

But more time is needed to relocate homeless people in the area, said Rev. Jim Moon, a task force member and pastor of Park Memorial United Methodist Church.

“I think it would be best if we could just have a few days and get them out of there because we’re actually having to find where to put them,” Moon said.

Paul Stensrud, director of the homeless outreach group Jesus Cares at Exit 0, said he’s been scouting for new locations for the homeless and some will likely use areas in Clarksville that are outside the construction area. His outreach ministry has temporarily suspended its community meals near I-65 so that it doesn’t encourage the homeless to gather there.

But Stensrud said suspending meals also makes it tougher to contact with the roughly 30 to 40 homeless people known to be living in the project area.

Jeffersonville’s Haven House homeless shelter is currently full, and more are people are expected to be homeless in 30 days when residents of the former Rose Hill School are evicted, he said.

Stensrud said nearly half of Jeffersonville’s downtown homeless population now live under an overpass that Morris said will need to vacated by early next month so workers can begin bringing in fill dirt. That soil will eventually be used to permanently close the street to pedestrians and traffic.