Franklin seeking federal aid for safety projects

Franklin will submit federal funding applications for four proposed infrastructure improvement projects that involve safety issues.

City Council recently approved the submission of the applications for the federal Fast Act funding through the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. Applications for federal Fast Act funds that would be distributed in 2022 or 2023. The resolution that council adopted is the first step in the process, according to City Manager Sonny Lewis.

“If funding is received, the city’s local share would be 20 to 30 percent of the overall projects cost,” he said.

Those costs have not yet been determined.

The projects include:

* Ohio 123 at the driveway of Franklin Community Park and the Hampton Bennett school building: The driveway intersection improvements would enhance safety for motorists and pedestrians with the installation of a traffic signal and realignment of the park’s driveway. However, Lewis said the city may not receive funding for this because it does not have enough traffic control data collected. He said the city may have to re-apply next year after more traffic data is collected in spring 2017.

* Clear Creek Bike Path Connector: Construction of a bike path to connect Hazel Woods Park to Franklin Community Park. Hazel Woods Park is owned by the city of Springboro but it is located within the city of Franklin’s corporate limits. Lewis said the city would have “a good chance at federal funding for the Clear Creek bike path connector.”

* Ohio 123 at Shotwell Drive/Beal Road intersection improvements: This is another safety enhancement project that would provide for the installation of a traffic signal at Shotwell Drive and realign the intersection with Beal Road.

* Downtown Signal Management System - Phase 3: This project would replace the old traffic signals at the following intersections — Fourth and Main streets; Sixth and Main streets; and Sixth and River streets. Lewis said installing new signals would conform to the current standards and would include detection systems and battery back-ups. In addition, fiber optic interconnect cable would also be installed for communications with the traffic signals.

Lewis said there would be no budgetary impacts to the city until 2022 and if the federal funding was approved.

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