Explanation
Background: The City of Columbus, Public Service Department, Transportation Division, in cooperation with the State of Ohio and the Federal Highway Administration, is engaged in the widening and improvement of Hard Road from Sawmill Road east to State Route 315. The City is currently preparing for construction of the second phase of this three-phase project. This phase, from Linworth Road east to State Route 315, will widen 0.42 miles of existing Hard Road from 2 lanes to 5 lanes and will construct improvements including new turn lanes, raised traffic medians, new pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk, street lighting, storm sewers, traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. Also included in this phase of the project are the widening of 343 feet of Linworth Road, 1,876 feet of Olentangy River Road and construction of turn lanes on State Route 315. The City acquired some of the parcels needed for this project through "advanced acquisition" as they became available. In May 2004 the City received authorization to proceed with acquisition of the remaining parcels for the Hard Road Phase C project from the Ohio Department of Transportation. Ordinance 1051-2004, passed July 21, 2004, established preliminary funding in the amount of $1,860,000.00 for this phase of the project. Higher-than-anticipated appraised values and higher-than-anticipated property owner relocation costs require that the funding for acquisition on this phase of the project be increased. Per the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, an additional $850,000.00 will be needed at this time to purchase the remaining Hard Road Phase C parcels.
Fiscal Impact: This is a City/State/Federal participation project that will be administered by the City of Columbus. Ultimately eighty percent (80%) of the total right-of-way costs for this phase of the project will be paid by the state/federal governments and the City will absorb the remaining twenty (20%) of the cost. Twenty per...
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