The Ohio Department of Transportation has awarded Strongsville $6 million toward the second phase of the Pearl Road widening project.

Mayor Tom Perciak said the award has set the project, which would expand Pearl from where it narrows near Drake Road to the county line at Boston Road, back on track.

"We're very pleased we can go ahead with Phase 2," Perciak said.

The mayor said he learned about the grant Tuesday and called for a planning session Wednesday morning.

"Within 24 hours, we were already meeting with our engineers, seeing where we're going for the next grant," Perciak said.

Strongville is expected to put $3 million into the $12.7 million project, leaving funding about $3.7 million short. 

"Lining up the money now is going to be quite difficult," Perciak acknowledged.

But he said he is confident work will start on the second phase in summer or fall 2013.

The first phase of the widening project, which is expanding Pearl Road to five lanes from the post office to a point just south of Drake Road, is expected to wrap up within a few months.

Phase 2 will pick up where that leaves off.

"That will take us to the top of the hill," Perciak said.