County officials will seek about $2 million in grant projects from the state’s Issue 2 program this fall.

Thursday, October 19, 2000

County officials will seek about $2 million in grant projects from the state’s Issue 2 program this fall.

Funding for the projects will not be available until next year, but city, county, village and township representatives met this week to rank projects based on their funding priority.

The projects are ranked for the Ohio Public Works Commission. They must pass muster at the district and state level before final approval.

Rankings are based on the specific grant funding source, countywide impact, safety factor, project readiness, local finances and previous funding.

From highest to lowest priority, the local projects and grant funding requested are:

– DeMaria Street Force Main Phase 1, a project that will expand the capacity of sewer lines in the Union-Rome Sewer District, $270,000. The local share is about $30,000.

The project was ranked highest because without the increased line capacity the sewer could face overflow problems, which are being monitored by environmental officials, county commission president Bruce Trent said.

It also benefits a large number of people, which is weighed heavily by grant officials, Trent said.

– Woodland Bridge replacement, which wasn’t funded last year, totals $1.1 million. The City of Ironton is requesting about $287,000 in grant money, with ODOT funding the rest except for Ironton’s share of $20,000.

– Lawrence County Road Resurfacing, annual paving project, $325,000, with the balance of the $675,000 project coming from the motor vehicle gas tax fund.

– Lawrence County Joint Paving resurfacing project, which affects Decatur, Lawrence, Rome and Windsor townships, Ironton, the Village of Athalia and County Road 6, $308,000. Local matches push the project to $385,000.

– Rome Storm Sewer Phase 4, a project to divert stormwater out of residential areas, $328,000.

– Proctorville Elevated Water Storage Tank replacement, $184,000. Project is $411,000 total, with the balance coming from state Community Development Block Grant dollars.

– Coal Grove water system improvements, $167,000.

– Coal Grove wastewater system improvements, $206,000.