Charm moves forward with $6.5M pedestrian safety project

Thanks to a community effort, downtown Charm will soon get a needed face-lift by way of a safer streetscape.

The Holmes County Commissioners met with several key Charm figures prior to approving a resolution allowing the county to apply for federal Transportation Alternatives Program funds to construct the proposed Charm Pedestrian Improvement Project.

In setting up TAP funds, the U.S. Congress has paved the way for Charm to create a safer space for pedestrians in the busy intersection near Keim.

According to the resolution, the project will address significant congestion and safety issues related to pedestrian, buggy and bicycle traffic in Charm.

The commissioners met with Jim Smucker, Keim president and CEO; John Leck, Keim; David Kuhns, owner of Charm Pizza; and Holmes County engineer Chris Young and assistant engineer Josh Galbraith to discuss the funding and the project’s timeline and specifics.

According to Smucker, this effort is going to provide a greater peace of mind because of the additional safety it will provide.

To complete the project, Holmes County must provide $1.2 million in an 80/20 matching fund split with the federal funds. The Charm Merchants Group Inc. has committed to provide those matching funds to see the project through to completion.

The overall cost of the project is approximately $6.5 million, with the project being administered by Ohio Department of Transportation.

“The village of Charm is very important to Holmes County,” Commissioner Chair Joe Miller said. “The businesses there are the real deal.”

Commissioner Dave Hall said this has been a team effort consisting of many different entities, but it is a vital one because of the increased travel going through Charm. He also said the county will be very aggressive in seeking additional grant funding to help offset the $1.2 million.

Hall said his office has already reached out to State Rep. Mark Hiner, the Appalachia Regional Commission and other entities about gaining additional support.

“There’s nothing certain, but I feel confident that there are funds that can be acquired,” Hall said. “It’s taken a buy-in from the county, a buy-in from the community and a commitment from the businesses, which is perfect for obtaining the grant. I applaud everyone for working together, but there is a long way to go.”

Smucker said the community of Charm and all the businesses there are appreciative of the effort to make this project a reality.

“This is much more than Keim,” Smucker said. “The 15 businesses that are part of this business association are together on this. The community is together on this. We’ve gotten lots of input, and it really is all about safety. We travel (state Route) 557 all the time, and this is a project that really needs to happen for the entire community of Charm.”

Young said he believes this project is an exciting addition and said safety is a key factor in moving forward on seeking approval on the project.

Kuhns expressed his gratitude and said with so much bicycle and foot traffic parading through the state Route 557 corridor, widening the lanes, adding bicycle and buggy lanes, and adding sidewalks will create a much safer area in which people can travel through the town.

Leck, who has worked closely on the project, said it is exciting to witness the county coming together to make this project happen.

‘This is just the start of the major work to be done,” Leck said.

He said he has a photograph of Charm from 1940, and many of the businesses in that photo remain a vital part of the downtown Charm landscape.

“I was thinking back 80 years ago, what those men then were thinking about what Charm could be,” Leck said. “Here we are now, projecting what Charm will be for the next 80 years. That’s a heavy weight to bear, but it’s a great opportunity toward bettering Charm.”

Matt Johnson of Palmer Engineering said the application for the project is due into the state by Nov. 30, and the $1.2 million figure should remain right around that number.

Young said the project must be submitted to ODOT to be graded at the district level, then will go to the state level before the funds are awarded in several months.

The process for this project began in 2022 when the Charm community began sharing its vision for the future of Charm. Public meetings took place, allowing people to share their thoughts.

The plan was created, and Leck began working with Johnson and with Tekton Engineering to create a shovel-ready project plan.

“It took a lot to get it to that point,” Smucker said. “This was done to be proactive as a community to think about what we wanted Charm to be in 30-40 years. We recognized there were sidewalk needs and bike issues and things like that we needed to address, and this is what came out of that community-wide process.”