The city of Xenia will use more than half a million dollars of a federal grant to alleviate a traffic and congestion problem near a busy shopping area starting in 2016.

The Hospitality Drive and West Main Street project to be constructed near Walmart is one of a dozen local road, ramp and bridge projects approved last month by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

The projects are estimated to cost about $33 million.

They will use nearly $20 million in funds from the federal Surface Transportation grant.

Xenia City Engineer Chris Berger said construction of the Hospitality Drive and West Main Street project will begin in 2016 and use $557,357 from the federal fund.

The remaining $212,675 will come from a city fund, Berger said.

The intersection near Walmart and Lowe’s has been identified as a trouble spot.

It only allows “left in” and “right out” movements to and from Hospitality.

There were 30 traffic accidents there between 2007 and 2009, according to a traffic study.

About 80 percent of the accidents were rear-end collisions.

The traffic study said that many of the rear-end collisions could be “attributed to the difficulty of northbound drivers to find a gap in traffic for a right turn onto West Main Street.”

Drivers heading to Walmart or Lowe’s will no longer have to continue to Progress Drive and turn right onto Harner Drive, causing a congestion issue.

“Ultimately when it is built, it will alleviate a great congestion problem we have nearby,” Berger said. MVRPC Executive Director Donald R. Spang said the 12 projects selected were accepted because they met the proper criteria.

“The projects that rise to the top are the ones that score highest on the criteria (list),” Spang said. “All these projects will be scheduled over the next five years.”

The other projects are:

• Miamisburg-Springboro Pike reconstruction from Benner Road to Medlar sponsored by Montgomery County — project cost, $8.7 million; grant amount, $3 million.

• Regional Land Use Planning sponsored my MVRPC — project cost, $188,681; grant amount, $150,945.

• Dayton-Xenia Road widening from Woods Drive to Wallaby Drive sponsored by Beavercreek — project cost, $3.7 million; grant amount, $2.5 million.

• I-675 Wilmington Pike interchange Phase 1 improvements sponsored by Centerville — project cost, $840,922, grant amount $672,738.

• Helena Street bridge replacement to the Great Miami River sponsored by Dayton — project cost, $5.3 million; grant amount $3 million.

• Warren Street reconstruction and bike lane addition sponsored by Dayton — project cost $3.3 million; grant amount, $2.5 million.

• Chambersburg Road widening improvements east of Brandt Pike to Evergreen Woods Drive sponsored by Huber Heights — project cost, $862,889; grant amount, $489,378.

• County Road 25A resurfacing from Troy corporation limit to Piqua sponsored by Miami County — project cost, $2 million; grant amount $1.5 million.

• MVRPC Regional Supplemental Transportation Planning sponsored by MVRPC — project cost, $460,130; grant amount, $368,104.

• I-75 and Ohio 73 interchange ramp C sponsored by Springboro — project cost $4.3 million; grant amount, $2.59 million.

• CR 25A reconstruction from Michaels Road to Evanston Road sponsored by Tipp City — project amount, $3 million; grant amount $2.4 million.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2384 or arobinson@DaytonDaily News.com.