Newport is planning to haul its World Peace Bell to its public works lot at East 11th and Saratoga streets on Thursday to make way for a site redevelopment, the city announced Tuesday.
The bell, currently sitting on the block bordered by Monmouth, York, Fourth and Fifth streets, will be moved to a temporary storage space around 10 a.m. on Thursday. Travelers in Newport should prepare for traffic and parking along the moving route to be impacted by the move, city officials said in a public news release.
Movers will transport the bell along the following route:
- East on the 10 block of East 5th Street.
- South on Monmouth Street to East 11th Street.
Maxim Crane and Hosea Project Movers will carry out the move of the 66,000-pound bell with planning and oversight from Newport police.
Newport police will close Monmouth Street one block at a time as the bell is moved south. Parking will be prohibited along the route starting at 9:30 a.m. Thursday to ensure there is plenty of space to move the bell.
The city will post "No Parking" signs along the route. Those signs will be removed block by block as the bell progresses and parking will be allowed to proceed as usual.
The city anticipates the operation being completed in an hour or less, as long as unexpected complications don't arise.
About the World Peace Bell and site development
The Newport City Commission approved plans earlier this year by Shaun Pan, owner and operator of the nearby Hampton Inn & Suites at the city's riverfront, to redevelop the World Peace Bell site, The Enquirer previously reported .
The mixed-use development will include:
The 12-foot tall, 66,000 pound bell arrived in Newport in 1999 and rang for the first time on in the U.S. at midnight Jan. 1, 2000.
Its current site is comprised mainly of a parking lot, but an office building and the World Peace Bell offices will be demolished to make way for the development.
The bell will be stored temporarily at the Newport Public Works lot at East 11th and Saratoga streets. The city has yet to to choose a permanent location for the bell, according to its release.
Several sites are being examined to serve as the World Peace Bell's permanent home and the city hopes to designate a location in the near future, according to Newport City Manager Tom Fromme.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Be ready: Traffic, parking woes expected Thursday for Newport Peace Bell move
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