By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Grant funding has been obtained for the reconstruction of a major intersection on the western border of Groveport.
The Ohio Public Works Commission awarded $1.67 million to the Franklin County Engineer’s Office towards the $3.89 million total cost of the Alum Creek Drive/Rohr Road intersection reconstruction project.
“The Franklin County Engineer will provide about $1.67 million for the project and will also repay a loan of $425,000,” said Bevan Schneck of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. “The city of Groveport will contribute $404,000 or 10 percent of the project cost, whichever is less. Columbus and Obetz are not contributing funds to the project.”
The city of Groveport borders the east side of the intersection while Obetz borders the northwest and Columbus the southwest.
Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall said the project includes: adding a new right-turn only lane on the Alum Creek Drive south leg; adding a second left-turn only lane on the Alum Creek Drive north leg; no change to the Rohr Road west leg; and adding a second right-turn only lane and a second receiver lane, which extends to the east overlapping the tapers for a turn lane at Port Road (full three lanes to Port Road) on the Rohr Road east leg.
Hall said the project is expected to begin on March 1, 2020 and be completed by Sept. 1, 2020.
She said the reconstruction is designed to improve safety at the intersection.
“This intersection ranks high on Franklin County’s High Crash Priority List for 2017,” said Hall.
Schneck said the intersection is important for several reasons.
“Alum Creek Drive in this area serves as a significant freight corridor, with over 30 percent of the traffic being trucks,” said Schneck. “There has been rapid traffic growth in recent years, primarily because of new warehouses coming online. The application scored third-highest in reducing crashes.”
The grant funding awarded for this project was part of more than $28 million awarded that was awarded to 11 local communities in Franklin County with 14 projects receiving OPWC funding
Cornell R. Robertson, the Franklin County Engineer and the OPWC District 3 Integrating Committee Chair, said, “This year’s funding results highlight the key role that the Ohio Public Works Commission’s grant and loan programs play in helping finance needed infrastructure projects in Franklin County. We were fortunate this year to provide funding to 11 local agencies to move their projects into construction in the near future. At the same time, the number of unsuccessful applications highlights the continued need to find additional funding to complete all of the needed projects to keep Franklin County an economically vibrant and attractive place to live and work.”
OPWC funding provides financial assistance to local communities for the improvement of their basic infrastructure systems. Eligible projects include improvements to roads, bridges, culverts, water supply systems, wastewater systems, storm water collection systems, and solid waste disposal facilities. County, city, village, township and other infrastructure districts located in Franklin County were eligible to apply.
