Board OKs rehab of city street

The loan fund is financed with federal stimulus money.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The city’s board of control has given its approval to a plan to rehabilitate Woodland Avenue at a cost of $1,573,020.

The board voted Tuesday to award the job to Parella-Pannunzio Inc. of Austintown. The company had submitted the lowest of eight bids for the contract.

Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works, said the project covers Woodland from Poland Avenue to Market Street.

The job includes some extensive storm sewer work that involves separating existing storm sewer lines from sanitary lines in the street. The two are combined now, he said.

The project also calls for new curbing, new sidewalks, new traffic signals and resurfacing.

About $500,000 of the cost will come from the Ohio Public Works Commission with the rest coming from a federal Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, but the city won’t have to repay the entire loan, Shasho said.

The loan fund is financed with federal stimulus money, and terms of that program will forgive half of the city loan, he said. Youngstown will repay the rest at an interest rate of about 3 percent over 20 years, he said.

The sewer portion of the project can begin this winter, and the entire project should be completed by midsummer, Shasho said.