By Debbie Rogers
LIME CITY — A Perrysburg Township trustee is raising roundabout funding concerns before the road change is in full swing.
At last week’s meeting, Trustee Gary Britten brought up discussion on the proposed roundabout at Ohio 199, Five Point Road and Dunbridge Road.
“I think this is well needed, probably one of our worst intersections,” he said. “But my concern is the estimate.”
The township estimate is $3 million to $4 million and the Ohio Department of Transportation estimate is $7 million, Britten said.
The township would be on the hook for everything above the grant, he said.
“We just need to be aware of that,” Britten said.
Administrator Jon Eckel said that he has also asked this question.
Two other engineering firms and Lucas County officials were asked for their opinions, he said.
“And they were a lot more in line” with the township estimate of $3.7 million, Eckel said.
ODOT has a 50% contingency in its estimate, which ramps up the cost, he said.
“It goes without saying that if this project does in fact end up being something of that nature, we’ll just have to walk away,” Eckel said.
“But, there’s a lot of folks that want to see this done,” he said, adding that he has letters of support from the Wood County sheriff and Wood County Port Authority.
The trustees unanimously approved a resolution supporting the grant through the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.
According to supporting documentation, the intersection had nine crashes from 2019-21, including seven injury crashes.
Also at the Aug. 16 meeting, the trustees approved pursuing a 10-foot-wide paved bike path starting at Ohio 65 at Bates Road, which will go south on Bates to Buck Road, then east on Buck to Lime City Road. The $1.1 million path will be 1 mile long.
Eckel said this would be a partnership with the Wood County Port Authority, Penta Career Center and the City of Rossford.
“I think it’s a wonderful, collaborative effort,” Eckel said.
Also at the meeting, the trustees:
• Heard Acting Police Chief Matt Gazarek report on a July 19 retail theft operation on U.S. 20.
“It was a very eventful day,” he said. “We pretty much hit every location in the Route 20 corridor.”
There were citations and activity at Hobby Lobby, Walmart and Lowe’s in the township; Gabe’s in the City of Perrysburg; and Home Depot and Ulta Beauty in Rossford.
• Voted to buy a 2024 GMC Sierra vehicle from Perrysburg Auto Mall for $49,639.
• Approved buying four sets of turnout gear for $14,780 from Atlantic Emergency Solutions, Manassas, Virginia.
• Heard that the fire department had 36 calls in July and EMS had 170. This is the busiest July on record, Fire Chief Tom Brice said. Runs are up 21% from last year.
• Awarded the salt shed construction project to Miller Builders LLC for $209,780, about 4.9% over what was estimated. As part of the bid project, the shed must be done by Dec. 1. Eckel said that the price could be lowered by using asphalt instead of concrete.
• Voted to buy eight chairs for the fire department for $4,152 from OfficeMax on Route 20.
They are replacing chairs that have been in station for 14 years and came from Penta, when the new school was built, Brice said.
• Approved liquidating five police vehicles.
• Voted to spend $2,819 for LeadsOnline, Plano, Texas, data collection. This is used for investigations and other police activities.
• Heard Recreation Director Bob Warnimont propose that the township hold a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
He also proposed setting up a small farmers market at the shelter house near the township building on Lime City Road.
This would not be competition for the Perrysburg market, he said, just something to hold on an off day. It would showcase produce from local farmers.
