RELATED: Clark County approves $508k project to rebuild bridge
About $330,000 — including $82,500 in city money — may also be spent to remove invasive species from the bike trails in Springfield.
Springfield city commissioners approved all four of the projects last week. Construction could begin in July 2020 at the earliest, Springfield Engineer Leo Shanayda said. Design work remains for all four of the projects, he said.
“That was just legislation to get the ball rolling,” he said.
All of the projects were submitted to the Clark County-Springfield Transportation Coordinating Committee as part of the most recent Transportation Improvement Program. The TCC has about $10 million available for projects between 2018 and 2021.
READ MORE: $20M secured for road projects in Clark County
The road projects include:
• A $1.8 million project — including $300,000 in city matching funds — to convert Derr Road from four lanes to three between Home and Villa roads, including adding bike lanes in both directions. The project is a continuation of what’s being done on Derr Road by the Clark County Engineer’s Office and upcoming repairs to Villa Road, Shanayda said. It would include bike paths and markings on each side, according to the legislation.
TCC consultant Burgess and Niple is currently performing a study to see if removing one lane is possible, Shanayda said. It’s expected to be released next month, he said.
“We’re waiting to see what the results of that report are,” he said.
Several residents shopping at the nearby Kroger on the corner of Derr and Villa roads expressed concerns about the proposal to reduce the lanes.
DETAILS: Busy Springfield corridor could get $12M in improvements
The Derr Road shopping corridor is busy, Moorefield Twp. resident Muriel Oglesbee said.
“I don’t think it’s necessary,” she said. “There’s so much going on with stores.”
The realignment will create more traffic congestion, especially in the summer, Moorefield Twp. resident Cory Cantrell said. It could be difficult to turn out of the nearby shopping centers, he said.
“This is one of the busiest roads in Springfield for me in my area,” Cantrell said.
• $1 million in federal funds to complete a resurfacing project on Yellow Springs Street between Main and Fair streets. The cost to the city could be about $214,000.
• A $2.2 million project to repair McCreight Avenue between North Limestone Street and Cedarview Drive. About $368,000 in matching money from the city will be required for the project.
The roadway will be reconstructed between Limestone and Murray streets and resurfaced from Murray to Cedarview Drive, Shanayda said.
LEARN MORE: Ever wonder why road salt in Clark County is blue?
The trail project may include removing honeysuckle, as well as adding signage and resurfacing or spot repairs to the bike patch.
The trails have faced erosion through the years and some of the ditches need to be cleaned, Shanayda said.
“We have time on our side to put together a bid package so we get the most bang for our buck,” he said.
This summer, a center turn lane and trail will be added to Villa Road between Derr Road and Red Coach Drive. It will include a new traffic signal, as well as paving from Red Coach Drive to Urbana Road. The project is expected to begin in early April and the road will be limited to one lane at times, Shanayda said.
The city is also planning to repair:
• Balsam Drive between Home Road to Carousel Drive.
• Center Street from Pleasant to North streets.
• East Street from High to Rice streets.
More streets could be paved next summer, depending on the city’s budget situation, Shanayda said.
Complete coverage
The Springfield News-Sun provides complete coverage of road projects in Clark County, including funding plans and other developments.
By the numbers
$4.5 million: Amount of federal money being spent on road projects in Springfield in 2021.
$960,000: Springfield's local match for the road projects.
$1.4 million: Possible cost to decrease Derr Road from four lanes to three, including a center lane, between Home and Villa roads.
About the Author