Struthers preps for face lift

June 13, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

By SARAH LEHR

STRUTHERS

The city is working toward a face-lift, which includes repairing its roads and sprucing up its downtown.

A resurfacing project will address Struthers’s six worst streets – Geneva Avenue, Garfield Street, East Wilson Avenue, Eighth Street, Sexton Street and Omar Street – as determined by an engineer’s analysis.

Mayor Terry Stocker estimates the project will take up the month of August and cost $382,000 – $149,000 of that coming from a grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission and $233,000 from 3-mill tax levy passed by voters in 2014.

Council President Henry Franceschelli described road repair as the lawmakers’ priority. “We hear from citizens about just about every road in the [Mahoning] Valley,” he said.

During its meeting this week, council also passed legislation to address cracked streets. Council will solicit bids from businesses that will provide crack sealant. The city will pay up to $20,000 to the lowest and best bidder. The sealant project will begin July 1 and likely finish by the end of September.

Additionally, the city aims to use $65,000 to add benches and six safety lights downtown. The additions are slated to begin Aug. 1 and finish by Oct. 1.

“We want to maintain our downtown as an appealing place that attracts people to local businesses and where people can feel safe at night,” Stocker said. “We’re basically giving it a face-lift.”