TID is A-OK for county, Wooster road projects

The Wayne County Transportation Improvement District secured nearly $150,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for two area roadway projects.

ODOT awarded $90,000 for the West Milltown turn-lanes project and $57,229 for the Apple Creek Road project.

The WCTID was created by Wayne County Commissioners in spring 2019 and operates as an independent entity organized to finance, construct, maintain, repair or operate transportation-related improvement projects. It is comprised of five board positions representing all of Wayne County.

The WCTID received $200,000 in funding in 2019 for the City of Wooster Daisy Way project that connects Daisy Way Extension and Old Airport Road. Funding from ODOT for infrastructure improvements tied to economic development would not be available to the county without the actions of the WCTID. Eligible projects include construction, repair, maintenance and expansion, among others, through a competitive process.

“We are excited about receiving TID funds for the second year in a row and look forward to annual submissions from all of the communities in Wayne County,” WCTID chairman Becky Foster said.

According to Wayne County engineer Scott Miller, the award for the Apple Creek Road project will save taxpayer money by covering 25% of the cost of the county’s portion of the estimated $257,000 project. The plan calls for a center turn lane to be added on Apple Creek Road to improve traffic safety at the future site of a BellStore at 1046 N. Apple Creek Road.

“Campbell Oil is responsible for half of the cost of the project,” Miller said. “The award money comes off of the Wayne County portion of the cost.”

Since the award was recently granted, Miller said the project would enter the planning and bidding phase next. “If everything goes right, we hope to start construction this year,” he said. “If not, it will be early next year when we begin.”

Due to heavy traffic in the area, a “trips” study was needed to determine what safety measures are required to be put in place.

“This type of study counts each time a vehicle comes in and each time a vehicle goes out,” Miller said. “These studies generate a national average amount of trips per day in and out, depending on the business.”

Miller compared the traffic scenario to pulling out of a residential driveway when there is a lot of traffic. “There are peak times and slow times,” he said. “The bigger the development, the more countermeasures there are to put in place to keep people safe when they patronize the business. The bottom line is keeping people safe.”

While traffic flow and public safety are at the forefront, there also are economic benefits the county will realize.

“There are two ways the county will benefit from this project,” Miller said. “Every time something is purchased at the store, sales tax will go to the county general fund. A fuel tax will get collected by the state, and a portion will be redistributed back to the county.”

The grant from ODOT is appreciated.

“It is difficult for Wayne County to compete for funding statewide against much more commercialized entities that also apply,” Miller said. “We are happy to receive this; it adds up to savings for the taxpayer.”

In addition to the Apple Creek Road project, $90,000 was awarded for a turn-lanes project on West Milltown Road.

According to Wooster City engineer Roger Kobilarcsik, adding turn lanes to West Milltown Road stems from a 2017 traffic study conducted by the supermarket company, Meijer Inc., to determine traffic-control needs of the area. At the time Meijer was considering adding a superstore nearby and was seeking a zoning amendment from city council for 32 acres of land along Milltown from C-2 to C-5 commercial.

“This project will add turn lanes to Milltown Road at the Buehler’s eastern entrance,” Kobilarcsik said. “When Meijer was trying to come into the city, they conducted a traffic study, and this area was a location of one of the deficiencies that the study pointed out; it is an existing condition. This money will help add two new turn lanes.”

Because funding has been secured, Kobilarcsik said the project could move into the planning stage.

“We are hopeful that the project can begin next year,” he said. “There will be two turn lanes added, one turning into Buehler’s and one that turns into the other side where Bob Evans is located. The project will increase the level of service to this particular area of Milltown.”

The total cost estimate of the project is approximately $350,000 for construction.

Dan Starcher is a public communications specialist for the Wayne County government.