“It’s actually a lot safer because we had potholes in the other lot that were becoming a significant problem, and it makes it easier for staff, volunteers, customers to wheel items out and load them,” said Benji Bergstrand, ReStore manager. “It’s just safer, more efficient, more attractive all around — a good thing.”
Drainage work has been installed in the six major intersections included in the project, and crews have now shifted focus to the south end. Work is currently underway to prepare the roadbed between Elm and Market streets. Curb installation and asphalt paving will follow. Sidewalk construction is also in progress.
Committee members heard a proposal to raise the Storm Water Utility rate to meet rising costs of labor, equipment, and materials. A motion was passed to refer the issue to the full city council, where it will be considered further. If the proposal is accepted, the monthly rate would increase from $5.27 to $5.90 over the next five years.
The other main concern of the meeting was street parking on narrow roadways. Several neighborhoods were mentioned where cars parked on both sides of the street don't leave enough room for snowplows and emergency vehicles to safely get through. The Public Works Director, Kirk Niemeyer, wants to remind residents that there are rules in place for street parking when it snows.
Motorists will notice lane changes as they enter the intersection from the east and west on Market Street. Traffic seems to be flowing well since it opened last Thursday. City officials say there are a few more things to complete including overhead traffic flow signage to help guide motorists. They want the public to understand that it is important to remember you must yield when entering the roundabout.
The final phase of the downtown Lima roundabout project begins on Monday. Resurfacing on Market Street, from Central Avenue to Elizabeth Stree…
With warm temperatures and low humidity, the weather was perfect for the fifty-fourth annual Bluffton Festival of Wheels. The festival took place in Downtown Bluffton on Main Street and Cherry Street with classic and antique cars, trucks, tractors, and even fire engines.
Anyone can see the changes in downtown Lima as several new businesses have popped up and announcements of future developments have sparked interest in what downtown can become. Local business leaders hear from several of their peers at the Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce's monthly breakfast about how they are investing in the heart of the city.
Assistant Lima City Engineer Ian Kohli explains, “We are going to maintain access to all local businesses and to most of the parking throughout the project. With this closure the parking for the civic center and the Borra Center will be maintained. You’ll just need to access it from the south, from Spring Street.
Officers have been patrolling neighborhoods looking for vehicles that haven’t been moved since the snowfall. Some roads have become narrower and plow trucks can’t get through. Whether it’s cars that haven’t moved at all or others that are parking on top of the snow, crews can’t get to it. Police are now enforcing the city’s “parking after a snowfall” ordinance.
Lima Public Works Deputy Director Streets Division Warren Roach adds, “When they park on one side of the street. It’s so much better. It doesn’t take us as long. We don’t have to spend as much time plowing and we can just get through there. If a driver comes and it looks like he can’t get though we’re not going to go down your street.”
