Loveland council hears 2026 CIP preview; updates on bike-crossing, streetscape funding and Chestnut brownfield

City Manager Dave Kennedy and city staff briefed the Loveland City Council on the 2026 proposed operating budget and capital improvement program and requested a special meeting for a focused CIP presentation.

Kennedy told the council staff plan a dedicated one-hour meeting on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. to present the CIP in more detail and answer questions. He summarized several project updates: the West Loveland Bike Trail Crossing should begin soon pending delivery of poles and materials; a previously submitted ODOT funding request for phase 1 of the downtown streetscape plan was not approved and staff will include a smaller phase in the 2026 CIP; and the Chestnut property brownfield is expected to receive a “no further action” letter from the EPA in December if remediation remains on schedule.

Kennedy said the Chestnut site’s marketability would improve if certain fill opportunities are available. He also noted the city had acquired property to provide access to the site and described other regional development activity, including work underway at Kenwood Dealer Group and commerce park-level renovations.

Assistant City Manager Chris Winich provided details on several street and sidewalk projects. He said an amendment request from Choice 1 Engineering would add $75,262 for right-of-way plans on the State Route 48 and Butterworth Road sidewalk project, and explained that ODOT would fund roughly 90% of the SR-48 portion while the Butterworth portion is city-funded. Winich said right-of-way plans are now needed as the design process reaches a stage that locks in temporary easements and property impacts.

Winich said the SR-48/Butterworth sidewalk work will be funded through multiple sources: a portion of design and right-of-way work is covered by ODOT and OKI grants, and identified recreation-land TIF funds have been allocated for part of the city’s share. He said construction is tentatively planned for late 2027.

Winich and Kennedy also updated the council on the Valley View roundabout: staff said the roundabout would move traffic through the intersection more quickly, decrease the likelihood of serious collisions and serve as a four-way intersection once the Chestnut property develops. They described the roundabout as safer and as improving access to the Chestnut corner should that property be developed.

Other updates included near completion of the Loveland Madera Road Phase 3 right-of-way work, an OKI award of $4.2 million for the middle phase of the Madera corridor (an 80/20 split with the city’s share approximately $1.05 million), Riverside Drive survey and geotechnical work nearing completion and kickoff of PFAS design work with AECOM, including rapid small-scale tests to select appropriate granular activated carbon media. Staff said those rapid tests will inform technical decisions about treatment media and change-out frequency.

Councilmembers asked schedule and implementation questions. In response to a council question about the West Loveland bike-trail signalization, staff said contract requirements call for completion before the end of the contract period (staff expressed confidence the work will be finalized before year-end but noted two remaining poles were delayed). On the Valley View roundabout, staff reiterated traffic-flow and safety benefits and noted the roundabout aligns with future development plans for the Chestnut property.

Kennedy thanked staff for their work and said the council will receive quarterly updates on goals and project progress. The council approved by roll call a motion to set a special meeting for Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. for the CIP presentation.