Plain City officials outline sidewalk work, say West Avenue culvert funded by Safe Routes grant

Plain City officials told the council they will begin Zone 1 sidewalk repairs this year and that the West Avenue culvert project has been approved for a Safe Routes to School grant, but construction timing depends on outside agencies.

In a public comment, resident Mr. Rucker said he expected sidewalks on West Avenue to be installed in 2024 and pressed the council to act because neighborhoods lack pedestrian connections. “West Avenue needs sidewalks. Jefferson Street needs sidewalks,” he said. He also urged the council to address obstructions on sidewalks that make them impassable for people using walkers or wheelchairs.

Village Administrator Miss Lupton said the sidewalk program will start with Zone 1 (west of Chillicothe and north of Main Street). She said the village has budgeted money for grinding and replacement panels and that property owners whose panels will be fully replaced received letters. Lupton described the West Avenue connectivity work as including sidewalk extensions, crosswalks and lighting, with construction expected in September and efforts timed to avoid the Dear Dutchman car show. She added that the West Avenue culvert was approved for the Safe Routes to School grant and that engineers are updating the design to ODOT standards; construction could occur in late 2026 or 2027 depending on ODOT’s schedule and rights-of-way.

Lupton said the village has posted sidewalk zones and the sidewalk maintenance program on the public works section of the village website and invited residents to report problem areas. She also reported that initial sidewalk panel replacement began this year with letters sent to affected property owners.

The discussion followed multiple safety-related public comments. Julie Heitinger, a Main Street resident and registered nurse, asked the council to reduce the speed limit on Main Street from 35 to 25 mph because of truck noise, safety for pedestrians and bicyclists and health concerns tied to heavy vehicle noise and exhaust; she said her porch sits about 22 feet from the road and that large trucks often cause excessive noise. Heitinger said reduced speeds can reduce injury severity and traffic noise.

Council members and staff framed the work as incremental: site-specific panel replacements and grinding this year, design work on culverts through ODOT standards in 2025, and later construction when right-of-way and agency scheduling allow.

The item remains discussion and planning; no binding change to speed limits or other code provisions was adopted at this meeting.