Warren eyes $8.8M street and sidewalk improvement plans

Warren City Council members turn their attention to the future at this week’s meeting as they consider nearly $8.8 million in street and sidewalk projects along the city’s major thoroughfares over the next few years.

Wednesday’s agenda includes emergency legislation applying for federal funding for half a dozen improvement projects through the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.

If approved, the feds would fund nearly 80% of the $8,755,000 total cost through fiscal year 2029. 

Funding available from the Transportation Alternatives Program would be used to repair sidewalks on East Market Street, Woodland Avenue, Laird Avenue, Genesee Avenue, Perkinswood Boulevard, Palmyra Road, Parkman Road, Tod Avenue, Highland Avenue, Main Avenue, South Street, and Niles Road.

The Transportation Alternatives Program provides funds for non-motorized transportation facilities.

The city would also apply for funding for improvements along West Market Street from Lover’s Lane to Main Avenue; Palmyra Road and Highland Avenue; Pine Avenue and Main Avenue; as well as Elm Road between South Street and North River Road.

The projects would consist of asphalt pavement and resurfacing, layout and placement of pavement markings, sign placement, and the replacement of curbs, sidewalks, drive approaches, and curb ramps as needed.

Councilman at large, Ken Macpherson, feels the repairs are long overdue.

“Some of these things have been left untaken care of for a long time by the city,” he said. “These are all really good things for the city of Warren; they're good fundamentals.”

If approved, he’s expecting the city will pay nearly $1 million from its general fund over the next four years. The rest of the project will be covered by federal funds and grants. 

All of the streets were picked because they're in busy parts of Warren and it will help contribute to the city's goal to bring back the once busy downtown. 

“(If) we want to grow business we need to have something that’s a little more friendly for people,” Macpherson said. “This is going to kind of dovetail into that one stop story we’ve always had.”

If passed by council, some of the sidewalk and street repairs will start as soon as 2024, others could be as far out as 2028. 

The city is already undergoing road and sidewalk repairs on West Market Street, South Street S.E., Parkman Road, Summit Street, Mahoning Avenue, North Park Avenue and Elm Road. The city has categorized those repairs as phase 1. The newly proposed repairs are categorized as phase 2 and 3.