The State Route 315/U.S. 23/Stratford Road improvement project is on.
That was disclosed during the city of Delaware’s annual “State of the City” presentation at SourcePoint on Thursday.
“I’m proud to say we’re no longer in litigation, and we won,” said Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle. “They’re going to start that this year, and there will be some construction done. I think you’re going to have trouble getting out of Delaware and getting into Delaware this year.”
The project will align Stratford Road and SR 315, Riggle said, to reduce congestion and improve safety in an area where the crash rate is more than double the statewide average.
Multiple designs were considered, City Manager Tom Homan said.
“There were some issues with Turkey Hill (at 2740 Stratford Road), some litigation,” Homan said. “Ultimately, they dropped that suit. We began planning this project 10 years ago. This is an ODOT-funded project. It’s one that needs to be addressed, how that skewed intersection is set up.”
The project will include building a road, Meeker Way, that will connect Stratford to U.S. 23.
“Meeker is the homestead that the (Delaware County) Historical Society is going to take control of where the old barn is on Stratford Road,” Homan said. “The society has some really exciting plans for the reuse of the old Garth’s (Auction) barn and property. This is a very exciting project that will enhance the transportation, but do some other things as well.”
The Stratford Road project was one of many topics that Riggle and Homan discussed. Other topics included:
Homan said the state of the city is the strongest he’s seen in his time in Delaware. As an example, he pointed to a community solution where various agencies got together to create a “warming center” for homeless men at Zion United Church of Christ.
The talk was part of the Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly “Third Thursday” luncheons at SourcePoint.
For more information, visit www.delawareareachamber.com/ or call 740-369-6221.