“The funding came from a mid-year offering and Hamilton was the only community within the TID that was able to develop a project quick enough that would be eligible for that money,” said Allen Messer, director of Engineering.
The intersection reconstruction project is being done in conjunction with Darana Hybrid’s expansion, which will see the manufacturer construct a new 100,000-square-foot building on Belle Avenue to provide space for the company’s three divisions.. The Journal-News reported in January that this expansion would create 55 new jobs, eventually giving the business 116 total employees.
To support the project, Hamilton earlier this year provided a 15-year, 60% Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement.
The improvements are designed to help Darana Hybrid’s growth, which would allow trucks to navigate an intersection that can confuse motorists. According to a city staff report, the existing signalized crossover at Dixie Highway and South Erie Boulevard (Ohio 4) is confusing to users, especially truck traffic. Dixie Highway occupies property that can be incorporated into ongoing redevelopment of the area.
While the primary improvements would be the reconstruction of the intersection at Ohio 4, the project also includes additional road improvements, including a 600-foot reconstruction of Belle Avenue and 1,100-foot widening of Ohio 4 between Dixie Highway and Symmes Avenue.
An improved and widened roadway is expected to improve traffic and truck flow in relation to the Darana Hybrid facility, and support the manufacturer’s site expansion.
Messer said the construction project is expected to be in 2025. Hamilton city officials met with the Hamilton School District and Hamilton Caster representatives, two of the major stakeholders in the area, and Messer said, “They were both very receptive to the reconfiguration.”
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