WCTID discusses project timelines
WAYNE COUNTY, OH, Sep. 2020 — On the heels of accepting a nearly $150,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for two area road projects, the Wayne County Transportation Improvement District (WCTID) devoted a portion of their monthly meeting held on Monday, August 31, to discussions about the stages and estimated timeline of each project.
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.
According to TID Chairman Becky Foster, the WCTID will hold the grant money in escrow until the project is complete before releasing it to the county.
The project stems from a “trips” study conducted by the Wayne County Engineers Office. The analysis, using national averages, is used to determine the amount of traffic flowing in and out of the business to establish peak periods of the day.
Miller said that safety is the number one priority, and the project will consist of a center lane to be installed as a countermeasure to ensure the safety of store patrons entering and exiting the BellStore.
Miller hopes that construction on the road can begin later this year.
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.
Because funding has been secured, City of Wooster Director of Administration Joel Montgomery said the project to add lanes turning into Buehler’s and the adjacent road behind Bob Evans could move into the planning stage and will start early next year.
Funding for the Milltown Rd. will also be held in escrow by the WCTID and disbursed upon completion.
By Dan Starcher, public communications specialist for the Wayne County government.