POLAND Work will begin on walking path

The rest of the walking path will be built later.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- A walking path through Poland Woods will soon be built -- at least the section that runs alongside the new library, on state Route 170.
Village council passed a resolution authorizing payment of a $32,000 grant to the Public Library of Youngstown & amp; Mahoning County for construction of that section of the walkway.
The work will be done by a subcontractor for Frontier Construction of Youngstown, the general contractor for the library, and is slated to begin today or early next week.
Bigger picture: Bigger plans call for a walking path from the village and township border near Lake Hamilton along Yellow Creek to Walker Mill Road. No date has been set for construction of the remainder of the path.
Councilwoman Jacci Untch said the Ohio Department of Transportation has not yet released funds for the rest of the walkway, but the library wanted the section along the new building completed before it opens.
The total cost to build the path is estimated at $185,000: $150,000 for construction and $35,000 for design, engineering and other costs. ODOT will pay 80 percent, and the village will pay 20 percent, plus the engineering and design cost, Untch said.
The $32,000 grant to the library will be deducted from the overall village cost.
Maintenance: Library Director Carlton Sears said the library has granted the village a 10-foot easement for construction and maintenance of the walking path. The path will be about 5 feet wide along the perimeter of the library's parking lot, near Yellow Creek.
Sears said the village will maintain the path. The additional 5 feet in the easement will allow room for maintenance.