Warren lays groundwork for street upgrades

By Ed Runyan | July 16, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

Warren Mayor Michael J. O'Brien

City leaders hoped to imitate similar brick walkways in Akron, Cleveland and Columbus.

WARREN — Mayor Michael O’Brien says he’s had to battle the perception for months that the city was spending millions to improve and beautify East Market Street while laying off police officers, firefighters and other city employees.

But the money that paid for the project came from grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Ohio Public Works Commission several years ago, and the money could be used only for road improvements — not to pay the salaries of safety forces, O’Brien said.

It’s been a rough year for Warren because of budget problems.

The city laid off about 40 workers Jan. 1 to shed $1.2 million from its budget. Then it demanded concessions from workers to eliminate an additional $1.6 million.

But even while those steps were being taken, construction company Shelly and Sands of Zanesville began work around April 1 on a $2.4 million resurfacing project on two miles of East Market Street — from in front of Courthouse Square to Up A Creek tavern.

The majority of the work is complete with just minor sidewalk cleanup and road markings left finish.

Most of the cost was for the road resurfacing and replacement of some of the sidewalks and curbs, said Bill Totten, Warren’s director of engineering. It has been about 15 years since East Market was resurfaced, Totten said.

Included in the project was a creative touch made by pouring concrete in the crosswalks and “stamping” and painting the concrete red so that it appears the city has brick crosswalks at five downtown intersections.

The main purpose was to enhance the downtown and spur investment along the route, which is among the busiest roads in the city and passes through Courthouse Square, O’Brien said.

“We’re hoping that the owners of downtown buildings will improve their buildings,” O’Brien said. The stamped-brick enhancements — also paid for with the grants — cost $250,000.

O’Brien believes the effort is starting to pay off, because interest in purchasing some of vacant structures on East Market downtown has picked up in recent months, he said.

As for the “bricked” crosswalks, the organization Main Street Warren felt the crosswalks might be a way to improve the look of the downtown after seeing the same thing done in Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, O’Brien said.

“In other cities where it was done, it helped spur private investment,” O’Brien said.

Leaders hoped to create an inviting environment by combining the decorative “bricks” in the crosswalks and sidewalks with music being played from speakers downtown, hanging flower pots, free Internet service, an ice-skating rink during the winter, and tribute bands playing at the downtown amphitheater on Saturday nights all summer.

O’Brien says the loss of jobs at Delphi Packard, General Motors and other manufacturing facilities in the Warren area have hurt the city, but improvements to the downtown are warranted nonetheless.

“It’s a tough economic climate, but there are still thousands of people downtown who need a place to eat and shop,” O’Brien said.

Passers-by on East Market on a recent afternoon gave mixed reviews to the East Market Street project.

Marilyn Kuboff, who has worked downtown about 10 years, said she’s bothered by the fact that the crosswalks already look dirty after only about two weeks and wonders how nice they will look after a winter of ice and snow.

“Maybe they should have put real bricks in, like in Hubbard,” she said.

Totten said research indicated that the stamped concrete is the most durable type of crosswalk because of the thickness of the concrete (its foundations are below the frost line). Bricks tend to shift from the vibration of the vehicle traffic, he said.

The specifications used for Warren’s decorative crosswalks came from one of Akron’s latest projects, Totten said.

Patty Cleary, who also works downtown, likes the new look.

“I think it looks great. Too bad there aren’t more businesses to take advantage of it,” she said.

runyan@vindy.com