Traffic restriction riles city critic Marks

When the city made Eighth Avenue near Thor Street one way, officials said it was to prevent accidents.

But one of the two affected homeowners is taking it personally.

Gypsy leader Jimmy Marks, an outspoken critic of city policies, says the change has left him “bitter, sour, mad, disgusted and tired.” The new traffic rules, Marks said, give police a reason to park near his home, force him to drive nearly a mile out of his way, and make it harder for him to use his front door as practiced by Gypsy cultural tradition.

Marks is best known for winning a $1.43 million settlement against the city after a 1986 raid of Gypsy family homes was ruled unconstitutional.

“If I can’t get in my castle, I’m going to have to move,” Marks said after giving a tour of his neighborhood.

Since mid-March, drivers going north or south on the Freya Sreet hill are not allowed to turn west onto Eighth Avenue. During and since last August’s couplet project, many motorists had been using Eighth Avenue as a shortcut.

In a March 8 letter to the public, Tom Arnold, the city’s director of engineering services, stated, “Eighth Avenue is a narrow, unimproved street which increases the conflicts between vehicles exiting onto Thor Street and those entering onto Eighth Avenue.” Most of the conflicts have been vehicles getting rear-ended while waiting to turn west onto Eighth.

The new one-way section, marked by two “Do Not Enter” signs, is about 30 feet long and is in front of Marks’ house and his neighbor’s across the street.

Now, motorists going to either home by way of Freya must drive eight-tenths of a mile around the couplet. Marks said because he practices the cultural and religious laws of Gypsies, he must enter his house through the front door.

Marks had his house built in 1977. He also owns undeveloped property west of the house, which he said he would give to the city for the purpose of widening the street.

Arnold said widening Eighth would create traffic problems on the street. He also said if the street were to be widened, the city would have to widen the full block, and it wanted to preserve the alley for other homeowners.

“And the city doesn’t have the budget for it,” Arnold added.

Marks also says the one-way strip in front of his house gives the police a reason to park near his property as they wait for drivers to turn illegally. Those cited for driving the wrong way are subject to a $101 traffic fine.

“Absolutely not,” Arnold said about Marks’ theory. “This is to address a neighborhood concern, safety concern.”

Police Sgt. Craig Meidl said he understands Marks’ concerns.

“Anyone who has to drive a mile to get to their house after all these years, I think it’s a legitimate complaint,” Meidl said.

However, Meidl said, even before the change, when he “worked the hill,” the area near Marks’ house was “a good place to park” because of its proximity to Thor.

Merryl Tschoepe, a wife and mother who lives across from Marks, said she doesn’t have a problem with the new traffic restrictions. During the four years her family has lived near the intersection, Tschoepe said she witnessed an accident about once a week.

She said before the traffic-change decision was made, the city held meetings at the East Central Community Center, sent letters, asked for opinions and paid her a visit.

She said she’d like to see the “Do Not Enter” signs bigger, because people continue to drive east on Eighth. However, Tschoepe said she’d “rather take two minutes and go around the couplet if it’s going to avoid an accident.”

Ken Brown, a project engineer for the city’s construction services department, said he asked Marks for his input, but Marks didn’t respond until after the signs were put up.