The city hopes to install a multi-use path, shown in the above preliminary sketch, along West Fifth Street to increase connectivity in the area, and to give it a new look. While they haven’t applied for Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) grant to fund it yet, city officials are confident that the project will attract OPWC funds.
(Graphic submitted)
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Taking a walk to the new Kroger Marketplace or Oakdale Cemetery could get a lot easier relatively soon according to a nearly $2 million project to improve pedestrian access along West Fifth Street.
The city is hoping to get funding to install a multi-use bike path along the north side of West Fifth Street from McCloud Park to the traffic light between Kroger and Oakdale. A new sidewalk would also be installed on the south side of the street, and new curbing would go in on both sides.
“We’d be giving it a brand new overlay, so it would act as new pavement,” Hoyt said.
The project will hopefully be funded partly by an Ohio Public Works Commission grant. In his presentation to the city’s public service committee, City Engineer Jeremy Hoyt said the goal is to improve connectivity with other paths in the city and to make the area look like a newer city street, “with some thought in it.”
According to City Public Services Director Mike Andrako, the path will be similar to the Jim Simmons Trail. Committee member Alan Seymour asked if the trail will be striped, to which Andrako replied that it won’t.
“To me, if you striped it, you’ll have to continue striping it and it’ll cost money,” Andrako said.
The project could also fix the relatively poor quality of the area’s streets and sidewalks.
“I know at council we’ve heard that West Fifth isn’t in the best condition in certain places for bike riders,” he said. “We feel that will address many things, and it connects American Legion Park to Police Court, to the Cemetery, to MacIver Woods and McCloud Park.”
The City of Marysville is submitting the grant application jointly with Union County. Andrako said the plan presented is preliminary, and it could see changes as it progresses.
Hoyt said the total cost of the project would be about $1.9 million. Since it’s a match grant, the city and county put up $950,000, while the state matches that amount.
The OPWC evaluates submitted projects to decide who will receive funding. That evaluation is based on several factors centered on the potential public benefit of the project.
After a preliminary, in-house analysis of the project, Hoyt said he believes the city will get the money. The project will go to County Engineer Jeff Stauch for his own analysis, with the application being due in September.
The application will still need to go through city council. Andrako said, the project will likely be designed next year, with construction starting in 2019.
“Maybe this will clean up the area enough to where someone wants to move into the old Kroger,” Hoyt said.