Athens City Council discussed the more than $7 million construction contract for Stimson Avenue improvements project, which is scheduled to begin in 2021.
This project will include burying overhead utilities, replacing the pavement on Stimson, creating new sidewalks on one side, adding decorative street lights and constructing a duct bank.
The construction project will take place over a three year period with an estimated cost of more than $7 million. Of that $7 million, $5.2 million will be used for street and city utilities, $1.5 million will be used to put electric utilities underground and about $350,000 will go toward a telecommunication duct bank.
Athens has over $2.5 million awarded for this project through the Ohio Department of Transportation and other governmental agencies. Another $750,000 of funds can be awarded for this project but are currently pending. If the pending grants are issued, Athens will have to fund $3.7 million of this project.
Councilman Sam Crowl, D-3rd ward, expressed his approval of this project moving forward.
“City Administration believes that this is a project we really only have the opportunity to do every half-century … I think we have the right people in place to make sure this is done right and I am behind this transformation of Stimson Avenue,” Crowl said.
This construction project will make Stimson Avenue more accessible for wheelchairs as well as bicycles and strollers.
The Council also passed an ordinance that allows for Athens Police Department Chief Tom Pyle to serve as both the Service Safety Director and the Chief of Police while current Service Safety Director Andrew Stone is on leave to serve in the Ohio Army National Guard. Current Captain of Police, Ralph Harvey Jr., will also serve as the acting department head of Athens Police Department.
