01/10/2013
Gosnell and Warner Recognized
Gosnell and Warner Recognized During 664 Dedication Ceremony
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Today the Friends of Hocking Hills State Parks (FHHSP) celebrated the completion of their largest project to date. FHHSP Board Members joined representatives from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, ...and State of Ohio dignitaries for the dedication of the State Route 664 S Relocation at Old Man's Cave. During the event Jerry Jividen, President of FHHSP, recalled for attendees the 2004 board meeting when members were discussing the environmental and safety issues at Old Man's Cave regarding the proximity of the road to the gorge and entrance to the park. Clyde Gosnell presented the solution, "Just move the road." Today that solution has been realized. Clyde Gosnell and Omie Warner, FHHSP Board Members, were recognized for their vision and dedication to the project.
What once was a dangerous intersection of park visitors and 664 traffic is now a beautiful, safe, visitor friendly walk from the parking lot to the entrance of Old Man's Cave, and the gorge is protected from road wash and vehicle vibrations. A portion of the old road to the south of the Visitor Center has been repurposed as a safe pedestrian walkway to the Lodge Rd. To the north, the old road was removed and the area improved with a new walkway to the Park Office and Gift Shop and water filtration ponds to collect parking lot runoff. State Route 664 S now runs behind the parking lot and includes landscaped entrances to the Old Man's Cave parking area and the Hocking Hills Dining Lodge. Thank you to everyone who participated in making this safety and preservation project a success.