By Peter H. Milliken

milliken@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County commissioners have hired a New Albany, Ohio, company to design the Five Points roundabout, whose construction will be funded in full by the federal government.

The commissioners Friday approved a $280,025 agreement with Evans, Mechwart, Hambleton & Tilton Inc. for design engineering services for the $1.5 million traffic circle, for which funding was approved in February 2015.

The roundabout will be at the intersection of Western Reserve, North Lima and Springfield roads, which is now controlled by stop signs.

The intersection is on the border of Poland and Springfield townships.

The project goal is to improve traffic flow and safety in the intersection. The work is being funded from money dedicated to reducing traffic congestion and air pollution from idling vehicles.

The commissioners also approved a $45,000 agreement with the county engineer’s office to maintain roads used to haul waste to local landfills, with the money coming from landfill waste dumping fees the county collects.

The commissioners also awarded the $56,832 Sexton Street resurfacing project in Struthers to R.T. Vernal Paving and Excavating Co. of North Lima.

The county’s microfilm director, Jessy Horkey, told the commissioners the Cuyahoga County microfilming center has transferred 770 boxes of old Mahoning County court case files from paper to microfilm and tiff computer images for a $64,831, which is $31,669 below Cuyahoga County’s $96,500 initial quote.

The work, completed between Sept. 9 and May 11, would have taken Mahoning County’s microfilm staff members three to four years to complete in addition to their other duties, Horkey said.

After such transfers are completed and inspected, the paper is shredded and recycled, Horkey said.