The circle driveway at Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center may be reopened. 

The installation of the circle drive took place in 2017 while funds for the $3,000 improvement came from community donations.

Its original intent was to connect the lower driveway to the upper one to alleviate parking issues, improve safety with motorists having to back down a curved hill to turn around, and improve traffic flow.

Commissioner Blaine Wilcher says there was no reason to close it and expressed safety concerns as the primary reason to reopen it.

“We did that work to make easy access in and out,” said Wilcher to the Health and Welfare Committee. “Right now, if you go there at a high rate of speed, you are either going to run off the road or hit somebody. It is a waste of a road in my opinion.”

Director of Animal Control Sherri Bradley agreed saying she feels reopening the circle drive would help with parking. She also mentioned there had been several instances in the past where people have driven off the embankment and gotten stuck.

Added Wilcher, “We’ve not used it in a while so we are going to have to retrain people. Then, they can come in through the original entry gate on the right-hand side and use ADA parking and if you didn’t need it, you drive on up to a parking spot.”

Health and Welfare Committee members unanimously voted to reopen the circle drive at Animal Control. In attendance were Commissioners Blaine Wilcher, David Dunlap, Deborah Evans, Lori Judkins and Joseph Stotts.

Reopening the circle drive now awaits the approval of County Executive Jimmy Haley before it becomes reusable again.