External funding to boost 3 ODOT projects | News, sports, jobs

YOUNGSTOWN — The city council is expected to consider legislation Wednesday for the board of control to authorize agreements with the Ohio Department of Transportation on three improvement projects, with most of the funding coming from state and federal grants.

The three projects are estimated to cost a combined $5.8 million. State and federal funding will cover $5.03 million, about 86% of the cost.

“We try to mobilize funds and combine funding sources to mitigate our local costs,” said Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works for the city.

Local Participating Agency agreements are required to obtain state funding and state that the city agrees to comply with ODOT rules, Shasho said.

The most expensive project is estimated to cost $2.9 million and will upgrade 14 traffic lights on Market Street and four on Indianola Avenue, including removing unwarranted traffic lights, signal coordination, new curb ramps and pedestrian signals.

The federal government is providing $2.3 million toward the cost of the project, with the city paying $591,750.

This project will likely be completed in 2026, Shasho said.

The other two projects will begin next year, he said.

An estimated $2.8 million project will reduce lanes on Walnut Street from Front to Commerce streets and Boardman Street from Walnut to Market streets, as well as paving, landscaping work, lighting upgrades, adding green space and a staircase for pedestrians on Walnut Street from Commerce to Wood streets.

The city is receiving $300,000 in federal funds and of the $2.5 million the city is expected to spend, the state is reimbursing $1.3 million.

The other project is the $1.1 million rehabilitation of the South Avenue bridge over the Youngstown and Southeastern Railroad Co. train line.

The federal government is providing $1.06 million of the project cost, with the city paying $55,900.

During construction, the section of South Avenue in and near the bridge will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians with a 3-mile vehicle detour and a 0.7-mile pedestrian detour.

The work includes the rehabilitation of the bridge substructure, the resurfacing of the abutments, the replacement of the access slabs, which connect the road surface to the bridge, as well as the guardrails, sidewalks, bridge guardrails, curbs and markings. of the pavement.

Also Wednesday, the council is expected to approve an ordinance to use $351,633 in American Rescue Plan funding for an engineering study to upgrade the Webb Road pump station.

The station improvements are needed before repair work can be done on the 48-inch main water line that supplies the site, which distributes water to most of Austintown and Canfield municipalities, said Water Commissioner Harry L. Johnson III.

The waterline has a useful life of 40 years. It’s 52 years.

The plan is to add two pumps to the station to allow it to continue operating while the water line is replaced, Johnson said.

“The line is compromised and we have to do this work because there is no way we can close that station to repair the main line,” Johnson said. “We want to expand the station. We need to fix the main thing. It’s something we need to do as quickly as possible.”

OTHER

LEGISLATION

The city council could vote Wednesday on whether to designate 34.4 acres in the city center as a designated outdoor drinking area to allow restaurants and bars to sell alcoholic beverages for outdoor consumption.

DORA’s proposed location would include nearly all of downtown, including the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater.

The Council could also consider approving a $400,000 ARP appropriation from Councilman Julius Oliver’s 1st District fund to create the Youngstown Restoration and Opportunity Center (YoROC). The center would seek to help city residents who are unemployed or underemployed, with a focus on health and the culinary arts.

In addition, there is legislation that allows the control board to enter into a job creation grant agreement with P&S Wholesale Baking Co.

The company would receive about $98,400 in income tax refunds over three years in exchange for the commercial baking company creating 40 jobs.

P&S is adding a second shift.

Under the proposed agreement, P&S would receive a 100% discount on the 2.75% income tax paid by new employees in the first year, which would be 2026. The discount would drop to 75% in the second year and then to 50% in the second year. third and final year.