The purchase was one of the final steps needed for the county to begin the project near the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport and the Springfield Air National Guard Base.
About 1.4 miles of new road will be constructed to relocate Ohio 794 between U.S. 68 and Ohio 72, due to post-Sept. 11 distance requirements for roads near military buildings. The project includes more than $2.9 million in federal funding and about $726,000 in state money.
Clark County Engineer Johnathan Burr said his office is still working on the construction design and is in the process of finalizing environmental permits. The land purchased from the city, Burr said, was needed to complete the project.
“We’ve got to acquire the right-of-way to help build the road there,” Burr said.
He said they’re planning to put the project out to bid later this year or early in 2013, and expect construction to begin in early 2013.
Burr said he’s happy to see some light at the end of the tunnel regarding the project, which began in 2007 before he took over as county engineer.
“It’s been a five-year process,” Burr said.
The city purchased the land from private owners about five years ago, City Manager Jim Bodenmiller said. He’s happy to see the project near construction, and said the airport and military base are crucial to bringing jobs to the community.
“They’re a major economic driver for our community,” Bodenmiller said.
City commissioners also approved funding for two Ohio Department of Transportation repaving projects slated for the fiscal years of 2016 and 2017.
As part of ODOT’s Urban Repaving Program, two sections of North Limestone Street will be repaved and resurfaced. The area of North Limestone Street beginning at 2nd Street and ending at Home Road will be paved in the fiscal year of 2016, while the area from College Avenue to 2nd Street will be paved in fiscal year 2017.
The total cost of both projects is about $660,000, with ODOT paying 80 percent of costs and the city paying the other 20 percent, or about $130,000.
City Engineer Leo Shanayda said the more money the city can get to fix roads for residents, the better, especially North Limestone Street.
“It’s a busy road,” Shanayda said.
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