River Road project gets $50,000 boost from R.I.D.E

EAST LIVERPOOL — R.I.D.E (Road Improvements Drive Economy), a 501 (c)(3) corporation formed through the efforts of local businesses to provide support to the City of East Liverpool contributed $50,000 to toward the loan for the River Road Project on Thursday when they presented the check to Mayor Bobby Smith and Auditor Marily Bosco.

R.I.D.E. has presented the city with a check for the past eight years to help pay the approximately $1 million loan originated in 2017 to fix River Road. The group provides approximately $50,000 annually as their share of the loan payment. The group also helped set up the financing for the project by helping the city secure a grant and paying approximately 50% of it. R.I.D.E. has currently paid over $400,000 towards to the city for the for the loan.

The project was paid for by a SIB (State Infrastructure Bank) and was secured by the city with payments from R.I.D.E.

R.I.D.E. is looking into ways to secure more funding through state and other funding sources. They also hope additional businesses will continue to join the organization.

kgabrandt@mojonews.com