Carbon County to offer special parking spot for veterans

May 13--Carbon County veterans will now have a designated parking spot for doing business at the Veterans Affairs Office in the county administration building in Jim Thorpe.

Carbon County commissioners and veterans affair director will unveil and dedicate a parking spot for veterans with physical difficulties or other disabilities Thursday morning.

The spot across the street from the county administration building, which houses the Veterans Affairs Office, provides more convenient access to services.

The dedication also coincides with National Military Appreciation Month and Armed Forces Day on Saturday.

Previously, veterans in Carbon County had a designated parking spot in a lot off the county administration building, but security measures changed access to the building from that level, said Christine LeClair, Veterans Affairs director.

Now, everyone must enter the building from the main level lobby, but no designated parking was available there, she said.

"I noticed that many of our veterans had health concerns and accessing our office was physically difficult for them," LeClair said. "Some of our consumers are in wheelchairs or use walkers, while others have disabilities that aren't easily noticeable."

Parking is difficult around the administration building and courthouse, LeClair said. Veterans often had to park in the large county lot, adjacent to the train station, and walk a great distance to do business.

LeClair said she approached the commissioners and county administrator about getting a designated parking spot to improve access to the building, and the administration acted quickly.

The board initially approached Jim Thorpe Borough Council, the mayor and police chief, who considered designating borough metered spot, she said.

A feasibility assessment, though, found that a county parking spot provided the shortest safe pedestrian route and accommodated van-accessible handicapped parking, LeClair said.

The "Veterans Affairs Parking Only" space will be available to all veterans doing business at the Veterans Affairs Office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., she said.

LeClair said she hopes the spot will only be used by county residents doing business in her office and that all able-bodied veterans will continue to use the county lot or meters to allow those who truly need the space the option to park there.

The dedication is planned after the county commissioners' weekly meeting Thursday at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Contact the writer: kmonitz@standardspeaker.com; 570-401-3589

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