More than $1.7M in improvement projects happening in Urbana

The Simon Kenton Trail and outside the municipal building will also be improved.
Crews perform road work on North Main Street on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Urbana. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

Crews perform road work on North Main Street on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Urbana. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

A busy street in the middle of Urbana and northern parts of the city will be improved as part of several planned construction projects this year, totaling more than $1.7 million.

North Main Street between the intersection of Washington Avenue/Gwynne Street and the northern corporation limits of the city will have projects such as curb and gutter replacement and concrete flatwork; bike trail safety improvements at Simon Kenton Trail crossing near the railroad tracks; and resurfacing.

City of Urbana workers use a camera to analyze a sewer on North Main Street Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Urbana. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

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North Main Street concrete work

Starting this week, D.L. Smith Concrete, LLC started the curb and gutter replacement and concrete flatwork between Washington Avenue/Gwynne Street and Dellinger Road. This project, totaling $883,101, is expected to be completed by July 11.

Doug Crabill, Community Development Manager, said as this concrete work progresses along North Main Street, traffic will be maintained, but lane shifts and parking lane closures may be required.

They will also be replacing deteriorated or missing sidewalks and curb sections along portions of Abbey Lane, South Walnut, West and East Water, Hovey, Miami, North High streets, Eichelberger Drive, Washington and North Jefferson avenues, where property owners opted for the city to complete or failed to complete it themselves before the deadline. Those property owners will then be billed for the work, and the city of Urbana will share in the costs of items like alleyways and curb ramps.

Municipal building

D.L. Smith Concrete will also complete concrete improvements along East Market Street at the Urbana Municipal building, for $167,869 by Sept. 12.

This project will remove and replace the existing concrete curb, sidewalk and firehouse driveway apron along the southside of East Market Street, from South Main Street on the west to the public parking lot on the east.

City of Urbana worker Tyler Ohmeiss uses a saw to work on Laurel Oak Street on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Urbana. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

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Bike trail

On June 9, work will start on the CHP-Urbana Bike Trail Safety Improvements in two locations where the Simon Kenton Trail crosses North Main and Miami streets.

This project is under contract with Park Enterprise Construction Company, Inc. for $735,021, with federal safety funding through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) being used for up to 90% of the eligible construction costs. The completion is expected by Aug. 29.

Both the Miami and Simon Kenton trail crossings will have signage, striping and rectangular rapid flashing beacons installed.

At the Simon Kenton trail crossing, Laurel Oak Street between North Main and Fyffee streets will be closed and removed, Fyffe Street will be realigned, the trail crossing will be moved northward, and curb radii will also be modified.

North Main Street resurfacing

Later this summer, ODOT, under a contract with the John R. Jurgensen Company, will resurface North Main Street between Washington Avenue/Gwynne Street to the northern corporation limits, as well as U.S. Route 68 North from Urbana to the Champaign/Logan County line.

Safety related improvements will also be made to the striping layout and signage within the project corridor.

Crabill said it’s their understanding this project will start with the work north of Urbana first after July 1, followed by the work within the city limits to not start until Aug. 16 or after. It should be completed Oct. 15.

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