Township road bill clears Ohio Senate

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR
COLUMBUS -- Townships would be able to designate certain roads for nonmaintenance and vacate other roads, under a bill passed Wednesday in the Ohio Senate.
By a vote of 32-0, senators passed the bill, sponsored by state Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville. The bill now must return to the Ohio House for its expected concurrence.
Gibbs has said many rural townships have pathways that could be designated as roads that the townships must then maintain.
According to officials and an analysis of the bill, once a township places a road on an "unmaintained" status, the owner nearest the road could pay the costs to upgrade it to township standards if so desired.
Senators amended the bill to prevent township trustees from placing a road on "nonmaintenance status" if there is a residence off the road, Gibbs said.
The House originally passed the bill in February.