The City of Grove City and Jackson Township have joined forces to improve the White and McDowell road intersection.
Grove City Council unanimously passed an ordinance at the April 21 meeting authorizing the city administrator to enter into a cooperative infrastructure agreement with the township and Franklin County for intersection improvements.
Council also approved a measure to appropriate $603,000 from the general fund for the design and construction of the roadway. This money is in addition to the state funds the township received in 2007 to make repairs. Jackson Township was awarded a transportation grant, from the Ohio Public Works Commission, for approximately $292,000.
According to the city, the general scope of the project would include the addition of a turn lane and traffic signal improvements at the intersection. Residents in Grove City have complained for years that, at certain times of the day, it is nearly impossible to make a left turn onto White Road from McDowell Road. They have also expressed concern that motorists use the area to bypass traffic on Stringtown Road.
The cooperative agreement states that Franklin County would design and construct the infrastructure improvements. Grove City will finance the $603,000 and the township would finance up to $200,000. When the agreement was first brought to the township, trustees were wary due to the lengthy legal document. Township officials say at the first reading, the city gave them a 13-page legal agreement. After they expressed concerns, the city came to them with a "more reasonable" legal document.
"The township is happy to participate in the program with the city," said Jackson Township Trustee Bill Lotz at the council meeting. "We were going to move forward with the project but we are glad the city came on board. Together, we will make the intersection better."
The city would be responsible for providing the signal poles, control box and all the materials for the signal as part of the public infrastructure improvement. The city is also required to clean snow, pick-up litter and maintain the the road in the city. The township would be responsible for maintaining their portion of the roadway.
Construction is scheduled for the spring or summer of 2009.
In other news:
•Council passed a resolution to appoint members to a charter review task force.
Mayor Richard "Ike" Stage explained that the charter has not been visited since 1984.
"It is time we take a high-level look at our charter through a review of a task force," said Stage.
Council appointed Council President Ted Berry, Councilwoman Maria Klemack-McGraw, Terri Merriman and Rocky Black to the task force. The group will be responsible for deciding whether the city needs a charter review committee.
•A representative from the Ohio Municipal Clerks Association came to the meeting to give Clerk of Council Tami Kelly the 2008 Clerk of the Year Award.
Kelly was given the award for her "commitment and dedication to the profession." She has been the city’s clerk since 1990.
