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EAST LIVERPOOL -- East Liverpool City Council meet in special session Wednesday to vote on legislation granting the city authorization to apply to the Federal Department of Transportation for a matching fund grant to go toward the state Route 39, Pennsylvania Avenue re-build project.
The legislation was discussed in a Finance Committee meeting that took place immediately prior to the special council meeting.
Council Member and Finance Commitee Chair Fred Rayl said during the committee meeting that Planning Director Bill Cowan asked the committee to sponsor the legislation which would authorize the mayor or himself to submit to submit the application for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program and declare it emergency.
The grant application, which is due by March 28, will be for approximately $7.5 million.
If approved the funds will be used as the needed matching funds towards the $29.7 million multimodal project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) the city was awarded for the project.
Cowan told council members there was no guarantee, but feels the city has a good chance.
With the MPDG award the city was assigned a grant specialist to work with and Cowan will meet that person.
Rayl feels this could become transformational for the east end and the entire city.
"We will make this happen," Cowan added.
The council voted all-in favor of passing the legislation, allowing Cowan to move forward with the application process.