Thursday, July 24th, 2008
2 Celina major street projects delayed a year
By William Kincaid
Two major Celina city street projects have been pushed back a year in order to give the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and their selected contractors a longer construction season.
The $3.7 million Main Street reconstruction project will be bid out in early 2010 with work to begin that spring. The project originally was intended to begin in August 2009.
The $1.55 million Buckeye Street storm sewer project will be bid out early next year, with work to start in the spring. Originally, the project was to be bid out this summer with work to begin in August.
In the meantime, city officials are seeking permission from ODOT to extend the Main Street project to replace sidewalks to Fulton Street instead of just to Livingston Street, Celina Planning and Community Development Director Kent Bryan said.
"2010 is going to be a lousy summer," Bryan said about the Main Street project, which will include rebuilding the street, all curbs and sidewalks beginning at Lake Shore Drive, as well as installing a new water line, decorative street lighting and new traffic lights.
Safety Service Director Jeff Hazel said many of the existing sidewalks will be torn up to bury electric lines underground as part of a $700,000 safety grant from ODOT. The grant also covers the costs to put up new traffic signals at seven intersections - Logan, Market, Fayette, Livingston, Warren, Fulton and Wayne streets.
New computerized control boxes for the lights will replace the current outdated equipment. With a new control system, the city will be able to create a better traffic flow through the synchronization of lights, according to Bryan.
The Buckeye Street storm sewer project will double the current storm sewer's capacity. The project also includes paving the street.
During moderate to heavy rains, there is a significant amount of flooding on both sides of Buckeye Street, Hazel said. An additional 24-inch storm line will run from Myers Road to Market Street and connect into an existing storm line.
The city has planned for the project for some years now.
"It's a pretty large project so we think we will have some good competition and a lot of bidders," Hazel said.
Eighty percent of the project will be funded through a federal highway grant with the remaining 20 percent paid through a combination of a zero percent interest loan and a grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission.
Bryan also said city officials are still working with Menards to install an additional traffic signal on Havemann Road.
Also, the following projects are slated for this year and 2009:
• Lake Shore Drive seawall and boat docks.
• A new tent for Lake Shore Park.
• New restrooms and bike path at Eastview Park; new restrooms at Lake Shore Park.
• West Bank Rotary Walkway phase two, including the realignment of Schunck Road.
• Reconstruction of Johnson Avenue.
• Celina-Coldwater bike path extension with new restrooms and trailhead parking at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Main Street.
• New softball diamond at Westview Park.
