Girard-McDonald viaduct being renamed for slain Girard police officer Justin Leo

Staff report

GIRARD

The Girard-McDonald viaduct will be renamed for slain Girard police officer Justin Leo.

A resolution for the change was passed unanimously Monday by city council.

Leo was shot and killed on Oct. 21, 2017, while responding to a domestic violence call on Indiana Avenue.

Mayor James Melfi said the city will have signage and a public ceremony to designate the renaming of the viaduct.

Melfi also announced Dominion Energy will be working on a $1.96 million natural gas pipe replacement project in the city. Phase one was scheduled to begin Jan. 29, at the intersection of St. Clair Street and Maple Avenue, according to Dominion. The second phase is to begin Feb. 20 on South State Street, and the construction is expected to end in May.

The corrosion-resistant plastic and coated steel natural gas lines will replace pipes that were installed in the 1940s and 1950s.

An ordinance to purchase five fully-equipped interceptor police cruisers priced no more than $204,405 under the state cooperative purchasing program was passed unanimously.

An arrangement between the city and the Ohio Department of Transportation authorizing a traffic signal improvement project at U.S. 422 and the Interstate I-80 east and westbound ramps was passed unanimously. The state will cover the entire cost.