Waterville applies for state pedestrian‑path funds as Save the Bridge group presses preservation

Waterville — City officials voted July 28 to pursue a state Transportation Alternatives (TA) grant to build a pedestrian path and scenic overlook using the existing railroad corridor and two bridge piers at the Roche DeBeauf bridge, while local preservation advocates continued pressing for full bridge rescue.

The council passed a resolution authorizing an application and potential contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation to fund the Roche DeBeauf Bridge Overlook and Pedestrian Path Improvement Project. Municipal staff told council the grant window covers both Lucas and Wood counties and that Waterville must move quickly to secure funds.

Why it matters: The project would link Waterville’s shared‑use path to Farnsworth Metro Parks and create a river overlook using parts of the historic bridge. Proponents say a funded overlook could be a first, tangible step toward broader preservation; opponents or skeptics raised costs and ownership questions.

City administrator John Gokenhauer said the estimated total cost of the proposed project is $680,625 and that the TA program requires an 80/20 match, leaving the city responsible for about $136,000 if the grant is awarded. He added that the TA program’s allocation for Lucas and Wood counties over the funding period is limited, creating a limited opportunity for local applicants.

Local preservation activists, who organized as the Save the Bridge Association (STBA), addressed council during the public‑comment period. “Our association’s immediate two subgoals are get funds needed to make the bridge safe and maintain it enough to reduce future deterioration,” Dave Weber told council. Weber said STBA has incorporated as an Ohio nonprofit and is applying for 501(c)(3) status to pursue foundation funding and donations.

STBA also told council it is exploring Certified Local Government (CLG) status — a federal/state historic‑preservation program administered through the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) — as a path to additional preservation funds and tax incentives for property owners who do preservation work.

Council members voted to authorize pursuing the TA grant; staff said the grant would fund the portion on the Lucas County side, from Anthony Wayne Trail to the Maumee River, and would not itself rehabilitate the entire bridge. Gokenhauer noted parts of the railroad corridor are privately owned and that additional funding sources (state scenic‑byway grants, Clean Ohio funds) might be leveraged for land acquisition or further work.

The city and STBA said they expect to coordinate on grant applications. “We would be willing to work with the city on grant writing and leveraging other programs,” Weber said during public comment.

What’s next: The council authorized the application and will advance design and funding conversations if the TA grant is awarded. STBA and city staff said they will continue parallel efforts to identify further grants and private donations that could support larger rehabilitation or ownership transfers.

Ending: The council did not commit city dollars beyond the estimated 20 percent match in the resolution; staff flagged the limited TA funding window and urged that Waterville apply to keep future options open.