$10M in Clark County road projects planned

Clark County residents will have a chance next month to review nearly $10 million worth of traffic improvement projects planned over the next four years.

The federal money will be available to local governments between 2018 and 2021 as part of the Transportation Improvement Program, Clark County-Springfield Transportation Coordinating Committee Director Scott Schmid said.

The TIP is a planning document completed every two years that lists all federal transportation projects for the Springfield metropolitan area over the next four years. The document includes a variety of traffic projects, including roads, bridges, transit, railroad and trail improvements, among others. The money can be used for thoroughfares and collector streets, but cannot be used for neighborhood street repairs.

There were 16 new project applications, including eight from the city of Springfield and seven from Clark County.

“Everything we got we approved,” Schmid said. “It’s all still there.”

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Several of the major projects include:

• A $2.2 million project to repair McCreight Avenue between North Limestone Street and Cedarview Drive. About $1.8 million in federal funding has been requested.

• A $2 million project to resurface Springfield-Xenia Road between U.S. 68 and the Springfield city limits. The project will include replacing the bridge over Mill Creek. The county has asked for $740,000 in federal funding.

• A $1.8 million project — including $1.5 million in federal funds — to convert Derr Road from four lanes to three, including adding bike lanes in both directions. The project is a continuation of what’s being done on Derr Road by the Clark County Engineer’s Office.

A recent feasibility study showed the changes on Derr Road will improve safety and reduce crashes, according to consultant Burgess and Niple.

MORE: Study: Fewer lanes can improve safety on Derr Road

The county also asked for additional money for a previously approved project for Home and Croft roads to add bike lanes along Croft Road to Reid Park and add a turn lane on Croft Road at Robert Eastman Road. The cost of the overall project is about $2.8 million.

The TCC receives about $3 million annually from the federal government for road projects. Every two years, the organization accepts applications for new projects from local governments, Schmid said. The projects must meet federal standards and are graded by the TCC staff, Schmid said.

Clark County officials are also supporting an Ohio Department of Transportation grant application for $31 million in federal transportation money to move up the Interstate 70 widening project between U.S. 68 and Ohio 72. The project is also included in the TIP, but won't require any local matching funds.

Two public meetings will be held in April to discuss a draft of the planned projects, including 4 to 6 p.m. April 4 at the Springview Government Center, 3130 E. Main St., and 4 to 6 p.m. April 5 at Smith Park in New Carlisle.

The Ohio Department of Transportation will host a similar meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. April 3 in Sidney at the ODOT District 7 office, 1001 St. Mary’s Ave., which will also include the TCC’s plan for future construction projects.

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“They can take a full look at the roster of projects, make comments, the whole nine yards,” Schmid said.

The TCC board is expected to vote on the final plan at its May 12 meeting. Some projects will begin design work later this year, while others won’t be completed until 2021. The projects will also include public involvement through each municipality, Schmid said.

For a full list of projects and more information, log on to www.clarktcc.com/transimprove.htm.

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COMPLETE COVERAGE

The Springfield News-Sun provides complete coverage of road projects in Clark County, including funding plans and other developments.

BY THE NUMBERS

$10 million: Amount of money available for local governments to perform federal road projects between 2018 and 2022.

$3 million: Amount of money the Clark County-Springfield TCC receives annually from the federal government for road projects.

$2.2 million: Cost to repair McCreight Avenue between North Limestone Street and Cedarview Drive.

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