Martinsville’s Redevelopment Commission discussed whether to commission and pay for a traffic study for South Ohio Street that commissioners said could be needed to advance nearby development.

Commissioner discussion referenced a prior estimate for the study of roughly $18,000 to $20,000, and one commissioner said he believed he had moved at a previous meeting to proceed based on staff information; the minutes did not reflect an approved motion. Commissioners debated whether the developer who plans to build in the area should pay for the study or whether the RDC should front the cost. Commission staff said that if the RDC did not pay, a developer would be responsible for the study as part of their development process. Finance staff present said the RDC’s cash position was tighter than six months earlier but that a $20,000 expense would not be prohibitive.

Commission members agreed to revisit the item at the next meeting. One commissioner offered to speak with the developer about splitting the cost; staff advised that traffic studies can take months to process and that study results can remain usable for a time but could expire if development is delayed for years.

Why this matters: A traffic study is a preliminary step that can enable roadway improvements or signal installations and can affect whether developers proceed. Who pays upfront — the RDC or a private developer — affects project timelines and RDC budget planning.

Meeting context and next steps: No formal motion to pay for the traffic study was recorded. Commissioners asked staff to gather cost details and to return the item to the next agenda; a commissioner volunteered to approach the developer about cost-sharing.