Youngstown council OKs work on 2 downtown streets


By David Skolnick

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

City council cleared the path for two of downtown’s busiest streets to receive improvement work.

Council voted Wednesday to have the board of control seek proposals for work to Federal Street between Phelps and Walnut streets and on Market Street from Front to Commerce streets.

The legislation is for resurfacing, pavement markings and replacing traffic signs on streets, said Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works for the city.

The project will cost about $400,000 with 80 percent of the expense coming from a federal grant and the rest from the city’s $5 vehicle license fee, he said.

The city is expected to seek proposals in May, but because it is using federal money from the next fiscal year, it cannot award a contract until after July 1, Shasho said.

The project would start in August after the end of the Greater Youngstown Italian Fest, which runs from Aug. 4 to 6 in Central Square.

The project would take about two weeks to complete with the streets closed to vehicular traffic for about a week for resurfacing work, Shasho said.

Shasho also said a $3.4 million improvement project for North Meridian Road between Mahoning Avenue and the Interstate 680 ramps is underway.

The work will take about six months, he said.

The project includes a waterline replacement, street resurfacing, new storm sewers and curb upgrades.

The southbound lanes are closed with traffic maintained in both directions using the northbound lanes, Shasho said.