Hamilton will also plan to request an OPWC grant for $1.13 million, which would help pay for concrete repairs and street resurfacing, but Engle advised City Council earlier this last month that “we have more streets there than we may get funding for.”
There are nearly three centerline miles for this project, which would also require funding from the city’s street levy, the infrastructural renewal, and stormwater funds, as well as special assessments. Roads could include Williams Avenue (between Pleasant Avenue and River Road), Freeman Avenue (between Williams and Fairview avenues), South Front Street (between Pershing Avenue and Sycamore Street), NW Washington Boulevard (between Eaton and Cleveland avenues) and New London Road (between Ross-Hanover Road and Hogan Drive).
Also in the project is a subdivision south of Columbia Road that includes Ridgefield Road, Meadowood Way and Cardome Drive.
“You can probably all recognize these streets being in poor condition, so I’ll be pleased to get them done if we can get funding for them,” Engle said.
The three loans would pay for water main replacement projects.
The first of the projects would replace existing water main pipes on Milleville and Donna avenues.
It would also improve the water distribution network.
Engle said there had been at least 22 water main breaks in this project area.
He said the city would seek a $2.4 million loan from the OPWC, and it’s important to get this project funded as there’s a paving project scheduled within a few years.
“We have an (Ohio Department of Transportation) Urban Paving Program scheduled in Fiscal Year 2025, so we want to get the water main replacement performed prior to the urban paving program,” he said.
The second of the three water main projects would replace pipes on Tari Court, Tari Lane, Wildwood Court, and Rost Hill Drive.
“It was installed in the mid-1990s, but we’re having multiple pipe failures,” Engle said.
The water mains were installed in 1995, but there have been at least 10 water main breaks and four water service leaks in the project area. Hamilton is seeking a $610,000 loan for this project.
“It’s important that we get this project funded through this loan program or another method,” he said.
The last of the three projects would replace water mains on Williams Avenue, from Neilan Boulevard to Pleasant Avenue. The city is seeking a $1.3 million OPWC loan for this project.
The existing water mains were installed in the early 1900s and mid-1950s and have seen at least 10 water main breaks. This area is also part of the largest zone in the city, serving more than 20,000 customers.
The 1950s-era pipe is “more problematic” than the older 1900s-era pipe, said Engle.
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