Kettering approves ODOT agreements to build Far Hills shared-use path using roughly $2.9 million in grants

Kettering City Council on July 8 approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter agreements with the Ohio Department of Transportation to lead construction of a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on the east side of Far Hills Avenue between Stroop Road and Dorothy Lane.

Engineering staff described the project as removing an extra northbound vehicular lane to make room for the path, replacing street lighting, and coordinating federally funded components through the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. The city received $2,320,000 in ODOT funds and $630,765 in federal carbon reduction funds from MVRPC, producing total grant awards of more than $2.9 million. Staff estimated the total project cost at about $3,951,275, with construction anticipated in late 2027 or early 2028.

"We like to call it something differently than all those numbers ... we like to call it the Far Hills in the future," said Mr. Greson, an engineering department representative, as he described the scope and funding. Council members did not raise substantive questions during the presentation.

The council approved the resolution by roll call vote; all members present voted yes. The action authorizes the city manager to execute the necessary agreements with ODOT and proceed with project administration and design work in advance of construction.

The project is presented as a safety and multimodal mobility improvement for the corridor. Next procedural steps are entering the grant agreements and completing detailed design and utility coordination ahead of the 2027–2028 construction window.