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Council advances $6.5 million Appalachian grant for uptown streetscape project; businesses seek construction protections
Summary
Council introduced an ordinance to authorize engineering and construction contracts for an uptown streetscape and utility burial project funded by a $6.5 million Appalachian Community Grant; business owners urged the city to limit traffic disruptions during construction.
Council members introduced an ordinance authorizing engineering and construction for the Athens streetscape beautification project (project 383), funded by a $6.5 million award from the Appalachian Community Grant Program. The ordinance would also appropriate the grant funds into the designated account and authorize the Service Safety Director to enter contracts for the work.
Council Member Bianez, who introduced the ordinance, said the project will bury overhead electric and telecommunications lines along sections of State, Mill and Carpenter streets and add sidewalks and streetscape features. "This is a project we've been waiting for a long time," Bianez said, noting the project is aimed at improving appearance and resiliency of uptown utilities.
Business owners and residents raised concerns about construction impacts and parking. Sally Jo Wiley, a local business owner, warned that lengthy closures or reduced parking could harm newer establishments: "If you shut that down for any length of time, you've condemned those businesses to fail," she said. Council members and the mayor responded that contractors must provide a maintenance-of-traffic plan and that the city expects to use lessons learned from prior downtown projects to coordinate with businesses and preserve pedestrian access.
The administration said the program will likely run about 12 months but clarified that the entire project duration does not mean a full closure of all streets at once. The funds are managed through Ross County, which is acting as the grant lead; contracts will specify traffic management measures and coordination with affected merchants.
Members also discussed potential traffic-pattern changes: staff said East State Street is likely to be converted to two-way traffic on a short stretch to improve connectivity; other signal and roadway changes (for example on West Union) would require additional funding and separate engineering work.
The ordinance received a first reading. Council indicated it expects further discussions on phasing, maintenance-of-traffic plans, and detailed coordination with affected businesses before a final vote.
Ending: Council moved the ordinance forward for later readings while asking staff to produce construction phasing and traffic-management details to minimize impacts on uptown businesses.
