By Amanda Amsel
Staff Writer
As several construction projects start in Franklin Township, administrators are looking at ways to partner with local organizations to cover some of the added expenses.
At the Franklin Township trustees July 31 meeting, Road Supervisor Jim Stevens discussed ways his department is looking at getting funding from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC).
“One of the big projects coming up is the Eastfield and Westfield Water Line Improvement Project,” Stevens said. “For this project all the roads in the Eastfield subdivision will be dug up and two roads in the Westfield subdivision will be dug up.”
The project is a partnership between the city of Columbus and Franklin Township. Old city water lines will get a much needed improvement during the project.
“After the water lines are replaced the city said they would be responsible for repaving one lane of all the roads and Franklin Township is responsible for paving the other lane,” Stevens said. “Unfortunately, the way their funding works it does not allow them to pay for both lanes to be paved.”
The cost to repave all the roads that will be affected by this project is estimated at $113,000 and construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of this year.
The other big project the township anticipates having to spend funds on is the Broad Lawn addition.
“Those are also city of Columbus water lines and they have had multiple water main breaks over the years,” Stevens said. “I believe on one road alone there have been around 18 patches done. This project will cost the township around $32,000.”
Similar to the East and Westfield project, the city of Columbus will need to dig up roads to replace the old water lines, but will only pay to have one lane of the two lane roads paved.
This project is expected to start in spring 2015.
The final project going on in the township is the sanitary sewer project. This project has been delayed several times because of contractor issues. It is being run by the Franklin County Sanitary Engineer.
“A lot of Franklin Township residents in certain areas of our community have septic systems and the Franklin County engineer wants to get rid of those old systems,” Stevens said. “They want to put in sewer lines and do away with the septic systems.”
This project is being handled solely by Franklin County.
“However, for the projects we have fast approaching we are applying for grants to try to cover our paving costs,” Stevens said. “The road department is in the same situation the police and fire department are in. We have had major funding cuts from the state and are looking for ways we can get as much assistance as possible.”
Stevens said he has been working with MORPC to apply for grants for the projects that are fast approaching and will find out in December what the township qualifies for.
For more information on upcoming construction projects in the Franklin Township or what grants the township is applying for, visit www.franklin-township.com.
