Norton council authorizes application to AMATS for SR‑21 repairs; staff says local share could total about $8.1 million

Norton City Council on Nov. 3 voted to waive further readings and adopt resolution 1102025 authorizing city staff to apply for federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds programmed by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) to repair culverts and resurface State Route 21 within Norton's limits.

"State Route 21 is a state route within the city limits," city staffer Mister Binsley told council, noting much of the pipe drainage under the roadway was installed in 1956 using corrugated metal pipe that has deteriorated. "We've had to replace 2 in the last year. And then, a year and a half ago, we had to rehabilitate 1 by using, cast in place concrete to replace 1 of the other ones."

Staff described a two‑phase approach to seek the maximum $6 million AMATS award per phase and to leverage ODOT urban paving funds (which staff said can cover up to 80% of the surface course) and Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) assistance (staff said OPWC could cover up to 50% of the local share of a phase). Binsley said the city counted roughly 56 culvert crossings along SR‑21 in Norton and recommended prioritizing the southern (Eastern Road to Greenwich Road) phase because failures have been concentrated there.

Binsley provided local‑share estimates the city should expect if awarded: "For the first phase, Norton's local share total project ... is 3,900,000.0. And then for the second phase, it's 4,200,000.0," he said. Staff also said fiscal‑year constraints mean AMATS funding would be programmed for fiscal year 2030, and that if only one phase is awarded it is likely the southern phase would be prioritized.

Council voted first to waive second and third readings on the resolution and then adopted resolution 1102025 by roll call. The resolution authorizes the administrative officer to submit the AMATS STBG application and does not obligate the city to proceed with the full construction package; subsequent legislation and funding approvals would be required if the project is selected and awards are made.

What to watch: staff said even with full outside funding Norton's local share across both phases could be on the order of $8.1 million; council asked for project schedules and noted interim repairs would lower future costs. Staff said the AMATS award would be programmed for FY2030 and that additional council actions would be needed to obligate funds and proceed with design and construction.

Quote: "This project would include resurfacing and replace any damaged guardrail, it would replace the signing along State Route 21 throughout the city of Norton," Mister Binsley said when summarizing the proposed scope.