Council reviews $60 million-plus transportation, water and sewer package; members press for better sidewalk and communication plans

The Toledo City Council reviewed a package of capital and grant-funded projects from the Department of Transportation during an agenda-review meeting on Jan. 21, including funding requests and cooperative agreements for water-main replacement, roadway construction, resurfacing, stormwater and sewer work.

Christy Sondrant, commissioner of engineering and construction management, told the council the docket includes a $10,000,000 appropriation from the Water Main Replacement Fund for the annual replacement program and a $15,450,000 cooperative grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation to support 2026 roadway construction projects; the ODOT funds would supplement about $1,900,000 previously received from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC). The city also sought $15,000,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to provide local matches and planning, $26,000,000 from the Tax Roadway Improvement Fund for resurfacing and $3,790,000 and $5,700,000 from stormwater and sewer replacement funds, respectively.

Sondrant said the water-main appropriation will continue the city’s annual program to replace deteriorating and undersized mains and loop dead ends. For an emergency water-main removal on Nebraska Avenue the department recommended a single-contractor award to Rudolph Libby for an amount not to exceed $34,000 because that contractor was on-site and could begin work immediately, Sondrant said.

Council members used the review to press the administration on communication and program design for sidewalk and major roadway work. “Communication plan is my No. 1, with the residents, because this is a huge impact to everyone's daily life,” Councilman Martinez said, asking that residents, business owners and council representatives receive advance timelines and that GPS rerouting issues learned during the Broadway project be addressed.

Sondrant replied the department has held weekly coordination meetings, is revising resident letters, will offer virtual “on your block” meetings and will schedule business briefings for major streets. She said letters sent to residents will also be copied to council representatives so they can answer constituent questions.

Council members asked for specific maps and timelines. “If you can get us a list before a final decision is made, I think that would be very helpful,” Councilman Serrante said regarding sidewalks. Council members also raised tree-removal and replanting timing, safe-routes-to-school priorities (including Silver Creek Elementary) and potential overlaps between adjacent projects — concerns Sondrant said the department will incorporate into planning and contractor coordination.

No final appropriations or ordinance adoptions were recorded at this review session; the items were presented for committee consideration with requests for referral answers and standard committee recommendations (SEP/SCP/SAP) noted in the record.