LIMA — Two transportation projects in Allen County are among the 14 projects to receive a combined $5 million in funding as part of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Transportation Improvement District program, Gov. Mike DeWine’s office announced Thursday.
The program is aimed at transportation infrastructure projects that are related to potential job growth and retention, DeWine’s office said in the announcement.
“As Ohio’s economy continues to grow, our transportation system must keep pace,” DeWine said in a statement. “These projects will help create and retain jobs by ensuring that businesses can safely and efficiently carry out their work and transport projects.”
With that in mind, the list of funded projects includes the Thayer Road roundabout project at the intersection of Thayer Road and state Route 81. The program will contribute $500,000 to the $2.9 million project. Constructing the roundabout is not only intended to address safety concerns at that intersection, but it is also a means of supporting the $500 million expansion at the nearby Procter and Gamble plant in Bath Township, the announcement said. Construction is expected to take place in 2026.
The second allocation in Allen County will center on Lincoln Highway in Marion Township, with the project covering 0.88 miles of the highway between Lehman Road east of U.S. Route 30 and German Road. This project qualified for Transportation Improvement Funding based on its positive impact on agribusiness in the area.
According to the Allen County Engineer’s Office, the project will involve milling down four inches of asphalt on the roadway and replacing deteriorated concrete joints underneath the asphalt before repaving the road. The project’s current estimated cost is $437,690, according to the engineer’s office. The Transportation Improvement District is covering $280,080 of the cost, with the remainder coming from county funds collected through the county gas tax and motor vehicle registration tax. The project is set to be completed no later than June 1, 2025.
