Broadway Avenue to see road work next year

LORAIN — Broadway Avenue will see some road work within the next year. From 28th Street in Lorain to state Route 2, the road will see new pavement. On Monday, Lorain City Council approved an agreement with the county to resurface Broadway. The project is estimated to be about $1.6 million, of which Lorain would be responsible for 20 percent. That cost to the city is estimated at $163,032. The county will pay an estimated $170,832. Lorain County and Lorain will also split testing and inspection costs, with each paying about $30,000. The stretch of Broadway Avenue touches both Lorain and Sheffield Township, which is the county's responsibility. In 2019, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency approved federal funding for the repaving for fiscal year 2022. NOACA will fund 80 percent of the project. Lorain County will take the lead on the project. East 28th Street also is set to have some road work next year. City Council approved $216,000 to repave from Grove Avenue to Tacoma Avenue. Lorain also received federal funds from NOACA for the project. The total project will ultimately cost about $900,000, but NOACA will provide 80 percent of that. Councilman Mitch Fallis, D-at large, said this street will be redone with concrete, unlike Broadway Avenue, which will have asphalt. Councilman Rey Carrion, D-6th Ward, said this is arguably one of the worst streets in South Lorain. Seeing it get repaved will be a welcome sight to businesses along the street, Carrion said. The project is scheduled to begin next summer. Another project to get new pavement will be East 36th Street from Globe Avenue to Grove Avenue. It has also received NOACA funding, with Lorain paying 20 percent. The city's portion will be about $109,000. The total project cost will be about $458,000. Carrion joked that he will probably throw a party in the ditch along 36th Street when the project is over. Although there are other upcoming projects that could affect the new pavement on 36th Street, Carrion said the road couldn't go any more time without seeing some work. In other items, Council members approved buying a new ladder truck for the Fire Department at $1.4 million. Fire Chief Chris Radman said the current truck is 18 years old and has broken down multiple times. The hood was stuck in an erect position for three days until a mechanic could manually lower it. Radman said mechanics have had to piece it together, like duct-taping pieces for the emergency lights. A new truck will take about 14 to 16 months to get in. It should last about 20 to 25 years, Radman said. The recommended guidelines are to use the ladder trucks on the front lines for 10 years and then use them as a reserve for another 10 years. The current truck has been on the front line for its full 18 years. Radman said it's been thoroughly used, but it won't last much longer. Once the new truck comes in, the old one will go into reserve. Lorain also received two grants from Ohio History Connection in its effort to designate Broadway as a historic district. One grant is totaled at $18,000 while the other is at $12,000. Building, Housing and Planning Director Max Upton said city officials plan to get the historic designation either at the end of this year or early next year. Fallis said the designation would allow people investing in downtown to receive federal or state historic tax credits. He said it will be a great financial boost once it's in place. Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.