Lovers Lane work will be considered

By DAVE GOSSETT, staff writer
STEUBENVILLE — The on-and-off proposed Lovers Lane improvement project is back on again as City Council Tuesday heard legislation introduced that will see a preliminary study conducted on “how to make the street safer for residents and motorists.”

But in order to limit or avoid acquiring private property adjoining Lovers Lane, the city will probably have to pay for the entire project.

Fourth Ward Councilman David Fortunato introduced the ordinance to allow the city manager to enter into a contract with CT Consultants of Youngstown.

The reasons for the proposed preliminary engineering study were heard earlier at a council service committee meeting that saw City Manager Bruce Williams explain his thoughts for proceeding with the Lovers Lane project.

“There has been talk and attempts to address the width of that street for the past 20 years and our idea now is to take the next step so we can see what we can do to make that street safer,” Williams told council.

“We could look at building the street to meet urban standards and would probably receive federal dollars for the work. But that would mean taking private property in order to widen the street to meet those standards, and I don’t think that is right. We can’t build the street to urban standards and get federal and state dollars because it then becomes a hardship for the residents of Lovers Lane,” Williams explained.

According to City Engineer Michael Dolak, the first step in the process will be to have survey work conducted, “to determine our right of way. We believe the city’s right of way will allow for the widening of the two existing lanes. We then need to determine if it is possible to put a turning lane at Mall Drive to ease traffic congestion.

“After that we will want to see conceptual plans from the engineer that will include easing the horrible drainage issues we have on Lovers Lane. And we will see if a sidewalk on one side of the street is a possibility,” said Dolak.

“We will also look at possibly widening the turning radius onto the side streets that run off Lovers Lane,” Dolak added.

He said the current lanes on Lovers Lane are approximately 9 to 10 feet wide.

“The idea is to see what we can do without taking property. Some of the residents have already intruded into the city’s right of way with wall, mailboxes and landscaping. So we will have to see exactly where the city right of way is, and I don’t believe we will have to take any private property,” stated Williams.

“After we determine the preliminary information, the plan will be to go full blown into the design stage that will see the engineer create a couple conceptual designs. The engineering firm will also submit a probable construction cost estimate as part of their preliminary study,” Williams said.

The preliminary engineering study will cost the city $34,000 and will include the surveying work, traffic study, preliminary engineering work, color renderings and assistance with public meetings, according to a letter from CT Consultants.

Sixth Ward Councilman David Lalich said he is “100 percent behind this proposal. We need to see what we can do to make that street safer for everyone and at the same time improve the street with curbing.

“There was a traffic study in 1997 that said 5,000 cars travel that street a day. That street has been in need of improvements for some time,” Lalich noted.

“Something like this needed done 30 years ago,” said 5th Ward Councilman Albert Stasiulewicz.

“This is a positive first step. You guys are stepping up to see what can be done to make that roadway safe for the residents and the drivers who travel that street,” concluded Williams.

In other business Tuesday, Lalich introduced a resolution declaring May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in Steubenville. A ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. May 15 at the City Building to honor Steubenville’s fallen police officers.

Lalich also announced the city’s finance office has completed its first-quarter report.

“It is an excellent job and copies are available for reading at the finance office or the council clerk’s office,” Lalich said.

First Ward Councilman Gerald DiLoreto proposed a resolution commending the Rev. Doug George, pastor of Finley United Methodist Church on Lincoln Avenue, for 16 years of service to the community. George is preparing to relocate to Salem.

Several pieces of legislation were introduced by Fortunato including two rezoning ordinances.

“I am asking for legislation to allow Albert Motors to have the property at 1629 Pershing Ave. to be rezoned for use as a parking lot for Biggio Ford, and an ordinance to have Parkview Circle rezoned because of the purchase of the housing complex by the Franciscan University of Steubenville,” Fortunato stated.

Those two rezoning requests came before the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission Monday which then requested the appropriate legislation from City Council and scheduled a July 7 public hearing.

Fortunato also proposed an ordinance to allow the city to acquire property at the corner of South Fourth and Slack streets and to hire attorney Michael Bednar as special counsel to the city law director.

According to Law Director S. Gary Repella, “the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County is interested in acquiring that corner property. Mr. Bednar will handle the property research work and the city will acquire the property and then transfer ownership to the library. This won’t cost the city one cent.”

Fortunato also proposed an ordinance that will allow the city to spend $30,000 in unused Community Development Block Grant funds that had been allotted to the Community Improvement Corp. and returned to the city this year for the purchase of anti-crime surveillance cameras.

Fortunato also requested a Building and Grounds Committee meeting be scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday “for the discussion of the acquisition of property by the city.”


(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)