Council approves ODOT project agreement for Loveland Madera Road sidewalks

The Loveland City Council on a unanimous vote approved a local public agency (LPA) project agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation to design and build sidewalks along a portion of Loveland Madera Road.

Assistant City Manager Chris Winich told council the stage-3 design has been submitted and the project’s total cost is now “a little under $2.2 million” including design and construction; he said utility relocations now put the city at the mercy of utility schedules and could delay construction from 2026 toward 2027. “We just got word this week…they're almost a seven-month construction process,” Winich said, referring to the required utility work.

Winich explained the project includes extensive work beyond concrete, including substantial retaining walls — he estimated one retaining-wall segment at roughly $400,000 to $500,000 — and potential water-line relocations and right-of-way acquisitions. He said the city is budgeting less contingency at later design stages but that construction costs remain high and unpredictable.

Councilmembers pressed staff on cost drivers. Winich said utility relocation timing and the scale of required retaining walls are the principal drivers and reiterated that when poles sit in the right of way the utility bears relocation cost but dictates schedule. He said the city is negotiating with Duke Energy and ODOT to minimize schedule impacts.

The resolution authorizing the city manager to execute the LPA ODOT let project agreement was adopted by roll call vote.