Rossford moves to fund bridge aesthetics for Grassy Creek crossing, applies for municipal bridge grant

Council authorized payment toward aesthetic upgrades for the Ohio Department of Transportation replacement of the bridge over Grassy Creek and approved submission of a municipal bridge grant application for rehabilitation of the Shrier Road bridge. City staff told council that ODOT is paying 100% of bridge construction but the city had previously approved aesthetic upgrades coordinated with ODOT; staff presented an estimated cost of $212,710 to cover the aesthetics and related sanitary sewer adjustments. The city administrator told council that Northwest Water and Sewer District would reimburse the city for an estimated 50–75% of that amount for sanitary sewer costs, with final shares to be determined when bids are opened on August 28. Because the aesthetics work requires a timely payment and the city has no council meeting before the August deadline, council suspended the usual reading schedule, declared an emergency and adopted Ordinance 2025‑52 to authorize the city administrator to execute the final resolution with ODOT for Project W00652 (bridge over Grassy Creek). Separately, staff introduced Resolution 2025‑10 to apply for an Ohio Department of Transportation municipal bridge program grant to rehabilitate the Shrier Road bridge over Grassy Creek, which staff identified as among the poorer condition bridges in the state. Council approved the resolution under suspension and declared an emergency so the grant application could be submitted promptly. Council members asked procedural questions about timing and financing; staff emphasized that the bridge construction is being paid by ODOT while the city is responsible only for aesthetics and associated utility work. Final bid results and the Northwest Water and Sewer District share were described as pending the August bid opening.