Lear Nagle Road Reconstruction Project Update
The plans are nearly complete for the Lear Nagle Road Reconstruction Project. The Lorain County Engineer’s Office will forward the plans to the ODOT Central Office in Columbus for final approval and permission to go to bid. Once approved, bids are tentatively scheduled to go out in October with bid opening some time in November. Once ODOT gives their approval the County Commissioners give final approval to go to bid.
Lorain County Engineer’s Office will manage the project. The Ohio Department of Transportation Safety Funds which provides financing at 100% will be used first. When these funds are depleted, they will start using the 80-20 funding in which the city will be billed for the local share portion as the project proceeds. The city portion has been funded through Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs) to be repaid out of the Street Levy.
This project is finally becoming a reality. Funding for this project was approved by NOACA over 12 years ago before Mayor Gillock took office. During an open house at LCCC many years ago, Mayor Gillock discovered the funding was on the books but no action had been taken. Upon inquiry, ODOT informed the city they were getting ready to delete it from the approved funding list because of lack of interest. Mayor Gillock informed ODOT the city was definitely interested and the project was revived. The city engaged Arcadis Engineering to begin working on the project.
Shortly thereafter, the Lorain County Engineer’s Office made available a $600,000 interest-free loan to finance the engineering needed to complete detailed drawings of the project. At that point, the city began working on how to fund the remainder of the project. The total project cost is $12,749,977. The city’s responsibility is $3,455,454 which includes $850,270 for a new water line separate from the road project. The city will realize $9,294,523 in federal and state funding. Excluding the water line, the city will ultimately pay $2,605,184 or 20.5% of the total road construction project.
This will be a tremendous improvement for residents of the city. Anyone who has driven Lear Nagle Road between 6:30-8:30 AM or 4-5:30 PM will appreciate the need for this project to relieve congestion. Anyone who drives Lear Nagle at all will appreciate the need to replace the winter-worn and damaged road with a modern thoroughfare including new water lines, new storm sewers and sidewalks. Adequate turning lanes will be also be added at Chestnut Ridge Road and Lear Nagle.
If you have any questions regarding the project, please call the Mayor's Office or Engineering Department at (440) 353-0811.