HOWLAND  The Trumbull County Transportation Improvement District has been awarded two grants totaling $621,250 for road improvement projects that officials say will help bring nearly 700 new jobs and retain more than 1,100 other jobs.

A $500,000 grant will fund intersection improvements at Mines Road and State Route 46 in Howland Township. This project will add a left-turn lane and a new traffic signal, aiming to ease traffic and improve safety.

The new funding follows a $200,000 grant received in 2024 for the design phase of the same intersection project. Local contributions of $50,000 came from the Trumbull County Commissioners, the Trumbull County Engineer, and Howland Commons, LLC.

The Trumbull County Commissioners allocated an additional $94,186.59 in March 2025 as a local match to help secure the recent grant. Howland Commons, LLC also applied for a $90,000 Roadway Grant in May to offset some of this local match.

The project is anticipated to create 205 new jobs and retain 360 existing jobs, benefiting businesses in the Howland Commons Plaza and along Mines Road, according to TID officials.

The second grant, for $121,250, will cover design costs for improvements to intersections along County Highway 69, also known as Pine Avenue.

 The improvements are needed to support the upcoming construction of a Kimberly-Clark facility, set to begin operations this year.

The project is designed to improve highway access for the Kimberly Clark investment and other businesses south of County Highway 69, aiming to create 491 new jobs and retain 764 existing ones.

The City of Warren, the Western Reserve Port Authority, and Howland Township collectively provided $28,750 in local matching funds for the Pine Avenue grant. The improvements are located within both Warren and Howland Township.