Washington County to receive $1.8M in sidewalk, traffic funding
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LOWELL -- Washington County will receive two roadway safety grants for a combined $1.8 million, according to funding announced Thursday by Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The Village of Lowell will receive about $1.3 million for traffic signal, sidewalk and crosswalk improvements through a statewide roadway safety program, while another half a million dollars has been appropriated for sidewalks along Ohio 339 and Ohio 550 in Barlow.
Lowell Mayor Dave Hanes said the project there will replace or upgrade the village's aging traffic signal and improve pedestrian access along Main Street. He described the scope as “the traffic light upgrade and sidewalk upgrade, better crosswalks down by the bridge and crosswalks clear down Main Street to the dollar store.”
Hanes said the village initially sought assistance because of the age and condition of the traffic signal and the cable supporting it. The need became more apparent after a windstorm turned a no-right-turn-on-red sign at the intersection in the wrong direction and blew it over the cable holding the traffic lights. The right turn on red is prohibited because of the intersection's configuration, Hanes said.
The Ohio Department of Transportation repaired the sign because the village did not have the equipment necessary to reach it. During that work, ODOT employees told village officials that the cable was nearing the end of its expected service life, Hanes said.
Knowing the potential cost of replacing the equipment, village officials began working with ODOT to seek assistance for the project.
According to the release from DeWine’s office, the project is slated to be done in fiscal year 2029.
The project in Barlow will connect Warrior Drive pedestrian traffic with the Barlow Fairgrounds and Barlow businesses, benefiting students and the community as a whole, said Ashley Rittenhouse, public information officer for ODOT District 10. Construction is expected to take place in fiscal year 2030.
The projects are among 33 local intersection, pedestrian and roadway departure safety projects receiving a combined $72.1 million. The awards include 13 intersection safety projects totaling $46.8 million and 20 pedestrian and roadway departure projects totaling $25.3 million.
The projects will be funded during state fiscal years 2027 through 2032.
Improvements funded through the program include roundabouts, turn lanes, intersection upgrades, more visible signs and pavement markings, high-visibility crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes, according to a release from the governor's office.
"Every single investment we make in our transportation network is an investment in the safety of the people who use it," ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn said in the release. "Dedicating millions of dollars to both state and local roads reflects our unwavering commitment to a data-driven approach that fixes problematic corridors and redesigns intersections to save lives."
Ohio's Highway Safety Improvement Program targets locations with histories of fatal or injury crashes where previous safety measures have not been effective, according to the release.
City Editor Evan Bevins contributed to this article.