By Linda Collins
Fairborn Daily Herald
MAD RIVER TOWNSHIP — The Mad River Township Board of Trustees is continuing in their efforts to improve the quality of a number of roads in the township during the 2016 construction season.
Township Trustee Kathy Estep told residents during the Monday, July 18 township meeting that trustees are currently focusing on the proposed reconstruction projects on Rocky Point and Old Mill Roads.
The trustees are anticipating spending $202,720 on the Rocky Point Road Reconstruction and Resurfacing School Safety Project.
“The project consists of the reconstruction and resurfacing of 1.1 mile of the road from South Tecumseh Road to Fairfield Pike,” Estep said.
In 2015, the township received an Ohio Public Works Commission Grant for $150,013 that will cover 74 percent of the cost. The local share will be $52,707, which amounts to 26 percent of the total outlay.
“These State Ohio Public Works Commission grants are highly competitive, so as a township, we are fortunate to receive them,” said Estep.
Mad River Township Road Superintendent Don O’Connor reported to trustees during the township meeting that the construction crew was moving ahead with ditching, replacing large culverts, and replacing and realigning driveway culverts on Rocky Point Road.
“All this work needs to be completed before the repaving takes place,” O’Connor noted.
He also conveyed that Snider Road would be closed from Lower Valley Pike to Dayton-Springfield Road for about a week, due to rail improvements.
Township Trustee President Robert McClure Jr. stated that he had attended a preconstruction meeting regarding phase two of the Old Mill Road Construction Project. Plans are underway to resurface the next section of the road from Rebert Pike to Dayton-Springfield Road. The cost of this project carries a price tag of $206,700.
In 2015, trustees opted to repair and resurface Old Mill Road in four phases. The first phase of the project, which was completed last year, covered a stretch of the road from Lower Valley Pike to the Old Mill/Springfield-Dayton Road intersection and added up to almost $200,000.
“A $150,000 Ohio Public Works Commission Grant helped payed for the first phase of the Old Mill Road Project, so it only cost the township $50,000. However, we do not have any grant money to pay for the second phase of the project,” said Estep.
The third phase of the project, slated for 2017, will run from Rebert Pike to Rocky Point Road. The fourth and final phase of the project, scheduled for completion in 2018, will continue from Rocky Point Road to Fairfield Pike. Estep pointed out that the project was also being funded by a five-year, 1.7-mill levy for roads repairs that township voters approved in November 2014.
In other business, the township trustees unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Trustee Estep to prepare and submit an application to participate again the Ohio Public Works Commission State Program and to execute contracts as required. Estep said both the State Capital Improvement Program and the Local Transportation Improvement Program provide financial assistance for capital improvements to public infrastructure. Any grant funding awarded would be used for capital improvements to Old Mill Road.
On Wednesday, July 20, township trustees held a special meeting to open submitted bids for the Rocky Point Road Reconstruction and Resurfacing School Safety Project. A & B Asphalt submitted a bid for $200,845 for road reconstruction and $10,385.76 for tree trimming along the right of way. Barrett Paving submitted a bid for $222,195 for road reconstruction and $18,140 for tree trimming. Estep noted that the two submitted bids would be referred to the Clark County Engineer’s Office for review.
“We intend to make the final decision at our next regular meeting on Aug. 1,” Estep said.
In the spring, township trustees also submitted a list of township roads to the county engineer’s office for assessment, including Fowler, Broadway, Old Mill, Rocky Point and Stine Roads.
Township Trustee Joe Catanzaro reminded residents that the township maintains 51.817 miles of township roads each year.
“It is a big undertaking, and we could not do this without the taxpayers’ help,” Catanzaro said.
