State of the City: Delaware’s road, park projects on track

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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:

• Landing the Ironman 70.3-mile endurance race for three years, beginning Aug. 21.
• A visit to the Sister City of Sakata, Japan, in the spring of 2017.
• Installation of similar-looking city “wayfinding” signs in the downtown.
• Construction of a Veterans Plaza and a Veterans Park splash pad off of Houk Road, both expected to open on Memorial Day.
• Improvements to parks, most notably a new pickleball court at Blue Limestone, with canoe liveries and a bike master plan to come.

• Building an education center at the water treatment plant.
• The possibility of installing a statue of Delaware native son Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States, across from City Hall.
• Using the former Gazette building on William Street as an entrepreneurial center.
• Opening up the Sawmill Parkway extension in 2016.
• Creating a full-service intersection at U.S. 23 and Pennsylvania Avenue.
• Attempting to address transportation issues at “The Point” eight years after the city’s last fix along routes 36 and 37.
• Getting funding for an 800-foot runway extension and resurfacing at the Delaware Municipal Airport, which Riggle called one of the city’s hidden treasures.

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.

Delaware City Manager Tom Homan and Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle speak during their “State of the City” talk at SourcePoint on Thursday.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/01/web1_DSCF7422.jpgDelaware City Manager Tom Homan and Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle speak during their “State of the City” talk at SourcePoint on Thursday. Gary Budzak | The Gazette
Mayor, manager update ‘State of the City’

By Gary Budzak

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Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0904 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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