— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Anne Blankenship A new exit from the Kendall Young Library parking lot onto Water Street was recently installed, thanks to a grant from Enhance Hamilton County Foundation.

Work on an expanded and improved parking lot at Kendall Young Library is nearing completion.

The library received a grant from Enhance Hamilton County Foundation last year which has allowed the facility to widen the parking lot and to create diagonal parking spaces. An anonymous donor and some funds from the library also helped finish the project, according to Library Director Ketta Lubberstedt-Arjes.

The previous configuration of the parking lot seemed to be the cause of frequent fender benders from vehicles backing into other parked autos

“These were unintentional little accidents, people backing up who didn’t even realize they bumped another car, but it was enough to leave a scratch or two,” she said. “And it was because the parking lot was too narrow.”

The lot also proved to be congested during times when patrons or books were being dropped off.

“Sometimes, we’d have a line waiting all the way down the street,” the librarian said.

Those two problem was solved by opening up the back end of the parking lot and creating a drive-through path onto Water Street.

“So now, people enter the parking lot from Elm Street and exit onto Water Street,” Lubberstedt-Arjes said.

Several feet of additional sidewalk along the north side of the library were added to connect to the parking lot. A sidewalk was also added to connect to the rear entrance of the Jane Young House. The hedges that lined the back edge of the parking lot and along the side of the Jane Young House were removed to install the sidewalks. The removal of the hedges opened up the view of the historic home of Jane and Kendall Young, Lubberstedt-Arjes said.

The lot has two handicapped parking spots near the door the library, and an additional spot was added at the north end of the lot, near the back door and ramp at the Jane Young House. Lubberstedt-Arjes said signage for the handicapped spots will also be installed.

“We just want people to remember that they enter the parking lot from Elm Street and exit by way of Water Street,” she said. “And that should keep the traffic moving more safely.”