Delaware Co. wants Federal money for local roads

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

By Andrew Tobias, Delaware Gazette

Delaware County engineers plan to ask the federal government to help pay for a pair of road upgrade projects that would help alleviate traffic increases in fast-growing southern Delaware County.

Delaware County commissioners have authorized county engineer Chris Bauserman to ask for millions to pay for unspecified work on the stretch of South Old State Road that connects U.S. 36/Ohio 37 to Polaris Parkway, and to improve the Ohio 315/Home Road intersection in Liberty Township.

The projects are eligible for up to 80 percent in federal funding, which would equate to $9.8 million for the Old State Road project, and $7.3 million for the Ohio 315/Home Road intersection. The request will be made to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, who is administering the federal allocation.

County engineers say the Old State Road corridor needs improvements to address high traffic volume, which is expected to grow from 20,000 vehicles a day today to 30,000 vehicles a day by 2030.

Engineers also hope to reduce crashes on the road. Of the 337 crashes that happened between 2007 and 2009, two-thirds occurred on a two-mile stretch of road between Polaris Parkway and Orange Road.

County money has already been invested into the project; commissioners paid $191,000 in May to hire a consultant to conduct preliminary work. The project is expected to cost a total of $12.3 million.

Bauserman said the county applied unsuccessfully last year for federal money to pay for the project, but that he thinks asking will eventually pay off.

"I think it's just a matter of time,"  Bauserman.

While the South Old State Street project is moving forward regardless of federal assistance, the Home Road/Ohio 315 improvement is contingent on receiving the outside funding.

The intersection is crowded and needs upgraded, but since Ohio 315 is a state route, there are complications. The project could cost as much as $9.1 million, since adding any additional lanes to the intersection would also require engineers to widen the Home Road bridge over the Olentangy River.

"Without the federal funding, we wouldn't have enough stake in the matter to justify spending that much,"  Bauserman said.

If the request is denied, Bauserman said the county would work with the Ohio Department of Transportation to improve the intersection at some point in the future.

In other business, the same law firm will help both the county and the City of Delaware work out financing arrangements for a proposed extension of Sawmilll Parkway after a 2-1 vote from county commissioners.

Commissioner Ken O'Brien voted against hiring Squire Sanders & Dempsey because he is concerned that conflicts will arise between the city and the county in how to pay for the project. If that were to happen, Squire Sanders & Dempsy would withdraw from representing both sides.

Assistant prosecutor Aric Hochstettler said that the law firm currently doesn't see any conflict of interest.

The current and final $35 million phase of the Sawmill Parkway extension will span 5.8 miles and will extend the road from Hyatts Road to Bunty Station Road. Right-of-way acquisition for the project is currently underway, with construction scheduled for sometime in 2012.