Council approves major contracts and hears wide construction update; staff previews $19M in active projects

The Lebanon City Council on July 31 adopted several ordinances and a resolution authorizing major transportation and capital work and received a detailed staff report on current and upcoming construction projects.

Council approved Ordinance 2025‑071, a contract with KT Holden Construction in the amount of $4,484,425.78 for the Gloucester Road widening and roundabout project. City staff described the contract as part of a larger corridor improvement program; the ordinance was adopted by motion and roll call.

Separately, the council adopted Resolution 2025‑077 approving submission of an Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) safety improvement grant application to support improvements along the State Route 123 corridor, including a roundabout at the State Route 48 bypass ramp; staff said the grant could support up to $5,000,000 of improvements and would require an approximate 10% local match.

The council also authorized purchase of a Sutton 75‑foot fire ladder apparatus (Ordinance 2025‑076) for $1,616,662, adopted a road salt purchase (Ordinance 2025‑072) for the 2025–26 season at $96.25 per ton from Cargill’s deicing technology unit, and approved routine governance items including Ordinance 2025‑075 (2026 council goals and objectives) and a three‑year labor agreement with the Lebanon Police Employees Association (Order 2025‑078).

City staff delivered a senior‑management construction update that listed active public projects including the North Broadway reconstruction ($6.6 million; water main installation ~75% complete; November completion target), the Kingsview Drive bridge replacement and related business‑park work (~$2 million; contract completion expected in October), Bowman Trail (about $1.18 million) and Park Avenue reconstruction (about $1 million). Staff said approximately $7.8 million of the roughly $19 million in active projects is supported by grant funding and that upcoming work includes right‑of‑way acquisition for State Route 63 widening and additional reconstruction projects programmed for 2026–27.

Staff said the North Broadway work includes water‑main replacement, drainage upgrades and a separate bike path; the project team is coordinating traffic plans for major events such as the county fair and Applefest so that dedicated turning lanes will be maintained during those events.

No council action on the staff report was required; staff said they would continue public outreach and social media updates on construction staging, detours and schedules.

City staff summarized the North Broadway project as "a $6,600,000 project" and told council the contractor has completed the final service course on the US‑42 section near Walmart and that the project will move to curb and bike‑path work in September.