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LISBON -- A project to further improve Calcutta-Smith Ferry Road in St. Clair Township received another chunk of funding this week to cover the more than $1.1 million price tag.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced the awarding of $500,000 for the Calcutta-Smith Ferry Road reconstruction in Columbiana County out of $3.5 million invested in Transportation Improvement Districts throughout the state by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
According to the project description, County Road 430, which is known more commonly as Calcutta-Smith Ferry Road, will receive an upgrade with widening, curb and gutter improvements, and correcting horizontal and vertical alignments.
"This is a major east-west route in St. Clair Township that connects the area to the Shell Cracker Plant in Pennsylvania. County Road 430 is classified as a major collector and has an average daily traffic count of 5,328 vehicles," the description said.
Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson said this is Phase 2 of a major improvement to the road that leads from East Liverpool Road to Calcutta and on to the state line into Pennsylvania as a direct route into Midland and Shippingport and the cracker plant.
"Obviously that plant's a boon to our area," Dawson said.
Adding the $500,000 to the $522,400 already lined up from the Ohio Public Works Commission gives the county at least $1,022,400 for the project, with county money budgeted to cover any shortfall, he explained.
The first phase of work was completed last fall to eliminate a curvy section of the road just west of Vernon Dell Tractor. The second phase will include some work on changing grades and a new intersection at East Liverpool Road.
Dawson said the engineer's office is working on finalizing the plans, with the project going out for bids sometime in the fall. He said the plan is to award the project in late fall and start construction in spring 2024.
This is a smaller project than the first phase and should take three months to complete once construction starts.
"We're just trying to upgrade, all the roads in the county we're trying to get them upgraded," he said.
Dawson brought up U.S. Route 30, specifically extending it from Canton to Columbiana County, a project that's been talked about for decades. He said he's still pushing to get U.S. Route 30 extended, adding there's still a need.
mgreier@mojonews.com