Bale Kenyon Road widening to begin in 2023
Work on the first phase of widening Bale Kenyon Road is expected to begin in 2023.
Orange Township Trustees on Dec. 21 passed resolutions to use the Delaware County Engineer's costs estimates on the first phase of the work, and authorizing the engineer's office to seek bids for the construction.
"The next big-ticket thing we've all been waiting on is authorization for the Delaware County Engineer to proceed with advertising a bid for Bale Kenyon Phase 1," township director of operations Silas Bowers told trustees.
Delaware County Deputy Engineer Robert Riley on Nov. 2 gave documents to the trustees showing Phase 1 starting just south of East Orange Road and continuing south to a point north of Kendal Lane.
"This project features a much-needed road widening along this well-traveled roadway. The addition of a bike path in this project will provide connection to Westerville and beyond. Phase 1 of this three-phase project will commence this spring with utility relocation," the township's spring 2022 newsletter said.
Bowers on Dec. 21 told trustees relocation of utilities along the Phase 1 route and any necessary tree removal have been completed.
The county likely is to seek bids in January and award a construction contract in February or early March, Bowers said, with work starting after the current school year ends.
Riley on Nov. 2 told trustees the work might be finished in November.
The map provided by Riley also shows the Phase 2 and 3 sections to be completed later.
Phase 3 would extend from the southern end of Phase 1 to a point north of Pine Ridge Drive. Phase 2 would extend from the southern end of Phase 3 to East Powell Road.
After the meeting, township administrator Michele Boni said the cost to complete Bale Kenyon Phase 1 is about $3.4 million.
Funding is to come from multiple sources, she said, including grants from Delaware County, the Ohio Public Works Commission, the federal American Rescue Plan and the Ohio Department of Transportation's Transportation Improvement District.
"Road closures may occur during construction. However, we will strategize to avoid any peak traffic hours," she said.
Also Dec. 21, trustees passed a resolution authorizing a grant agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Clean Ohio Trail Fund, which earlier authorized the township to receive about $300,000 for its Lewis Center Trail Phase 3 project.
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"This trail section is the next piece of the picturesque Alum Creek Trail along Lewis Center Road. Phase 3 will take the path north to Harbor Drive and includes a pedestrian crossing into the Alum Creek State Park visitor center, providing a unique access point to Alum Creek State Park," the township's spring 2022 newsletter said.
Bowers said the township is close to starting the bidding process on the project, with construction likely to start in the spring.
Trustees also passed a resolution to seek bids on a management contract for the operation of the North Orange Aquatic Center at North Orange Park, 7560 Gooding Blvd.
Bowers said the current management vendor – identified on the township website as Columbus Pool Management of Lewis Center – sought a price increase stemming from recent material and labor shortages.
As a result, he said, the township and Columbus Pool agreed to terminate their contract.
A contract with a new vendor can be modernized to better accommodate market conditions since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bowers said.
A video of the Dec. 21 meeting can be found at youtube.com/watch?v=86X-Gqjj5Qo.
@ThisWeekNews
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Bale Kenyon Road widening to begin in 2023
