Local pledges sought for U.S. 250 project

Saturday, 01 April 2006

Next round of highway funding won't be for seven years, but local commitments wouldbolster grant request.

By TOM JACKSON
tomjackson@sanduskyregister.com

Your local highway needs help. Please give generously.

That's the message Steve Poggiali is bringing to local governments and organizations as he seeks funding to help move the U.S. 250 corridor project forward.

Poggiali, a planner with the Erie Regional Planning Commission, seeks funding as he prepares a grant application for the U.S. 250 corridor due in early May.

The U.S. 250 corridor project is a series of improvements in Perkins Township and Sandusky designed to improve the traffic flow and reduce accidents on the road, which becomes particularly busy during summer tourist traffic.

The planned improvements include new service roads, better traffic signals, intersection improvements, modifying the U.S. 250-Ohio 2 interchange and putting in new sidewalks.

The project is years away from construction, but Poggiali says he wants commitments for the money by the end of April.

The project will cost about $14 million.

The Ohio Department of Transportation pledged $5 million. Local funds are supposed to account for $4 million, while Poggiali hopes to obtain the other $5 million from the Transportation Review Advisory Committee, a state body formed in 1997 which makes decisions on large transportation projects.

The local Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed to contribute $2 million of the needed $4 million in local funds. That leaves Poggiali seeking another $2 million from local governments and organizations.

Poggiali said he is seeking money from Perkins Township, Sandusky/Erie County Visitors Convention Bureau Inc. (which receives bed tax revenue) and Erie County. He also plans to talk to Sandusky officials.

He said he has no agreements in writing yet from anyone.

The deadline for submitting the Transportation Review Advisory Committee grant request is early May, but the next available year for TRAC funding is 2013. That means Poggiali doesn't need money now, but does need local funding commitments to aid his grant application.

A $4 million local share in the project would provide a strong grant application and make it more likely the project would be approved, Poggiali said.

Commissioners Sparky Weilnau, chairman of the Erie County Commissioners, said he doubts the county can make a direct contribution, but said commissioners are interested in working with the visitors convention bureau to set aside a future portion of bed tax money for the project.

"Those conversations are ongoing," Weilnau said.

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