Gettysburg Daily

Longstreet Tower Sidewalk and Parking Construction



The sidewalk at the Longstreet Tower is being completely renovated, and the parking area has been redesigned. The bus parking area (closer to the camera) will be longer, and the parking for other vehicles is to be shorter. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.

The sidewalk and parking area at the Longstreet Tower on Seminary Ridge is undergoing renovation. Not only will there be a new sidewalk, but the bus parking area will be more clearly defined. But was this project really justified? We are all for people having jobs, but isn’t this taking the stimulus money projects (if this is a stimulus money project) a bit too far? Could there be any other projects at Gettysburg National Military Park more worthy of being the recipients of the stimulus money?



After you have driven south along West Confederate Avenue and approach the Longstreet Tower, the orange fencing covering the area is very visible. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



The first parking spots will be reserved for buses, and we are assuming other vehicles of considerable length. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



Some vehicles park here because the signs designating this area for bus parking only are not readable until one has actually pulled into the parking space. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



The future home of the new and improved sidewalk at the foot of the tower. For those who want to count how many steps there are leading to the top, and include ALL of the steps, there is now one less in this area. This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



This view was taken from the foot of the tower looking down the sidewalk area. The frequently missed bus signs are on the left. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



The green fencing on the left has nothing to do with the sidewalk reconstruction. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



The cannon tubes and carriages of the 20-pounder Parrotts marking the position of Woolfolk’s Battery are being repainted. The tube and carriage on the right has been repainted, and the one of the left is yet to be finished. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



Let’s walk farther south to the semi-circle area where a sidewalk will now take the place of at least one parking space. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



We are assuming that this space has been removed to distinguish the large vehicle parking from the “regular-size” vehicle parking. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



Was this construction project really needed? This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



As far as we are concerned the sidewalk here was actually in good shape. This view was taken facing north at approximately 6:40 PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2008.



Was it necessary to move a sidewalk to ensure that only smaller vehicles will be able to park in the spaces farthest away from the tower? This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



Licensed Battlefield Guides who bring bus groups to this tower have made it known to the National Park Service that sometimes they can’t find places to park because the bus-only spaces have not been clearly marked. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 6:40 PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2008.



There previously were six designated spots for larger vehicles. There were only signs for three of the spots. Why couldn’t these spaces have been clearly and dramatically lined to alert visitors that these were for buses/RVs, etc…? By the way, nice sidewalk. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, March 10, 2008.



Or if it was a problem with the drivers of smaller vehicles wanting to park in the bus spaces because they were closer to the tower, why weren’t the bus spaces moved? The people who climb the tower from buses are almost all school groups and military groups. The oversized vehicles could have been the last six spaces farthest to the south. It’s not like senior citizen bus groups are going to climb this tower. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Friday, May 29, 2009.



So now there are less spaces for larger vehicles and less spaces overall. If all the spaces are taken, or at least the oversized ones, it will be more likely that the larger vehicles will be parking along the side of West Confederate Avenue. This area will become more of a safety issue than it already is. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Thursday, October 9, 2008.