ThisWeek CW 9-3-2015
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/08/31/west-bixby-hendron-roads-groveport-tweaking-applications-for-opwc-grants.html
Groveport officials are hoping to make a strong case for securing Ohio Public Works Commission grants for two major road projects.
Groveport City Council voted unanimously Aug. 24 to approve legislation authorizing the city staff to submit grant applications to the OPWC; members also waived the usual three readings so the city could meet the Sept. 15 deadline.
A special public meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 8, in council chambers, 655 Blacklick St., to detail specifics, including budgets and timeframes, for the two applications prior to officially submitting them.
City Engineer Steve Farst said the applications are for work on Hendron and West Bixby roads. Both projects were submitted last year for funding but did not score high enough for OPWC approval, he said.
“The Hendron Road project is similar to what we submitted in last year’s application, but the idea is to take a hard look at what the committee will score and optimize our project for a higher score,” Farst said.
“Part of that is collaborating with other agencies and in this case, Franklin County has some authority here so we’re partnering with them on this. With the OPWC grants, there is a requirement for matching with local dollars, so partnering with other agencies, along with the grant itself, lowers the burden on our local taxpayers.”
If the Hendron Road project is approved for funding, Farst said the work is likely to include new water lines, a complete road reconstruction, curbs and gutters, new sidewalks and shared-use paths, and new street lighting.
Also last year, the city unsuccessfully sought OPWC funding for the middle section of the three-phase West Bixby Road project, which in total stretches from Old Groveport Road to state Route 317. This year, the city intends to submit an application for the western portion of the project, which will essentially just be for new pavement.
“The pavement on that end of West Bixby Road is in really terrible shape, lots of potholes and other issues,” Farst said. “So our intent is to take advantage of these OPWC funds if we can. This is the 30th year of the grant program and it keeps getting more popular and competitive.”
Groveport officials won’t find out until December whether one or both projects have been awarded grant funding, but Farst said he is hopeful that staff has come up with the right combination of project factors for approval this year.