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16 miles of road paving scheduled in Mahoning County
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning County commissioners voted Thursday to advertise for bids for repaving of about 16 miles of county roads using Ohio Public Works Commission grant monies and local funds from license-plate fees and fuel taxes.
The paving program, estimated to cost $1.9 million, places a heavy emphasis on resurfacing roads in Boardman, many of which are heavily traveled and badly deteriorated.
Glenwood Avenue will be repaved between Ewing and Shields roads; and West Boulevard will be repaved from Shields to Glenwood.
Southern Boulevard will be repaved from Indianola Road to the Youngstown city limits.
Shields Road will be resurfaced between Lockwood Boulevard in Boardman and Mission Hills Drive in Canfield.
Other paving will be done on Sheban Drive adjacent to Mill Creek Park and on Truesdale and Hopkins roads.
In Austintown, South Turner Road will be resurfaced from Kirk Road to Mahoning Avenue; and Burkey Road will be repaved between Raccoon and Meridian roads.
In Poland, North Lima Road will be repaved between Walker Mill and Western Reserve roads.
Last year, an OPWC grant funded about 12 miles of road paving; and an OPWC loan funded about 13 miles.
The cost per mile has risen from $110,000 last year to $118,000 this year due to additional asphalt milling and work-zone striping required this year, said Kristin N. Barrett, finance manager at the engineer’s office.
In other business, the commissioners approved a $5,000 sponsorship grant to the Butler Institute of American Art for a six-week exhibit there of paintings by world-famous singer Tony Bennett that begins July 9.
The sponsorship grant money comes from hotel and motel bed tax revenues.
The commissioners also entered into an $836,431 agreement with Gardiner Service Co. of Solon to replace hot-water boilers and domestic water heaters in the county jail.
The jail, at 110 Fifth Ave., opened in 1996.
The commissioners also approved a $950,000 agreement under which the Workforce Development Board will administer the federally funded summer youth-employment program.
Bert Cene, director of the Workforce Development Board of Mahoning and Columbiana counties, announced that some 250 Mahoning County workers between age 17 and 24 will earn $9 an hour in this year’s eight-week summer youth employment program beginning June 13 at 80 to 90 government and private business work sites.
With the county’s Department of Job and Family Services having determined applicant eligibility and applications now closed, participant orientation will take place June 6 to 10 at Oakhill Renaissance Place.