Pearl Road Widening Still Set for August Despite Funding Shortfall

City is exploring other sources after grant falls through

  The city will not receive  to help pay for Phase 2 of the Pearl Road widening project, but construction is still scheduled to start in August. Strongsville officials learned this week it won't get a share of state Issue 1 money this year. But Lori Daley, design engineer for the city, said the state did offer a no-interest loan for nearly $2.3 million instead. "We're still moving forward," Daley said. "We're exploring other funding." So far, the city has a little over $7 million in grants for the $11.5 million project, which will widen Pearl up Stoney Hill and to the Strongsville border at Boston Road. Mayor Tom Perciak said last year he hoped to amass at least $9.5 million in grants for the job and borrow the rest, if need be. The city …

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tom m

1:55 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013

it can take minutes to turn left off admiralty at times (no big deal) I am hoping that a sidewalk can be put in at least on one side of the road ( ok I admit it whopper runs on bike)   more ›

Pearl Road Phase 2 'Under Construction By This Time Next Year'

Mayor says pieces are falling into place on plan to widen road to city limits

  The city will seek a $2.3 million grant from the state to help pay for Phase 2 of the Pearl Road project -- a job that will widen the roadway up Stoney Hill and to the Strongsville border at Boston Road. City Council agreed this week to ask for State Issue 1 funding to help pay for the $11,455,000 project. "If it all falls into place, we should have about $9.5 million in grants," Mayor Tom Perciak said. Strongsville should learn by the end of the year whether it will get the Issue 1 award. Perciak said the city would continue to seek funding for the remaining $2 million, but if none can be found, will borrow the money. Meanwhile, right of way acquisition is continuing, City Engineer Ken Mikula said. "We're looking to have Pearl Road …

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Debbie Palmer

11:03 am on Monday, September 24, 2012

Lyn, I'm pretty sure the city got one or two smaller grants last year for about $1 million. Sorry, can't remember where they came from.   more ›

South Pearl Road Ready to 'Blossom' with New Business

Two years from now, corridor will likely look much different than it does today

Drive down the southern stretch of Pearl Road today and you'll see lots of vacancies in the shopping plazas and chunks of undeveloped land. Two or three years from now, you might not recognize the place. Pearl Road South is on the verge of blooming into a bustling commercial corridor, with some projects already under way and others expected to follow. "There's a lot of potential on Pearl Road South," Economic Development Director Brent Painter said. "I think the area is ready to blossom." A few factors will drive the growth, officials say: • Giant Eagle's new Market District store will draw traffic -- and new development -- to the area. • Pearl Road will be widened to four and five lanes, which will make access easier. • The area still has…

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Pearl Road Widening Back on for 2013

City's fight pays off as state reverses decision to delay funding

The second phase of the Pearl Road widening is back on track for next year after a months-long fight by Mayor Tom Perciak. The Ohio Department of Transportation, which earlier this year pushed back funding until 2019, has reversed its decision and agreed to give the city $6 million in 2013. "It's great news," Perciak said. "This is a project Strongsville needs." The project will widen Pearl from where it narrows at Ellsworth all the way to the city limits at Boston Road. Perciak lobbied state and federal officials to get the project back on schedule. "I can't tell you how many trips to Columbus, how many phone calls, how many meetings this took," he said. U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton was among those pushing Strongsville's agenda. "The project is…

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City Looks for Money to Widen Rest of Pearl Road

With ODOT putting project off, Strongsville will seek federal funding for Phase 2

The city is seeking federal money to widen the southern end of Pearl Road. City Council Tuesday agreed to ask the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency for $3.97 million to widen Pearl Road to five lanes between Drake and Boston roads. The project, which is already in the design phase, was dealt a major setback last month when the Ohio Department of Transportation, citing a funding crisis, rescheduled it for 2019.  The city is now looking for other ways to get the project funded and moving. "We're opening up other doors," Mayor Tom Perciak said. Last April, Strongsville officials learned the state had awarded the next phase of the Pearl Road widening project $6 million. A week later, the city hired Euthenics Inc., a Cleveland civil …

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Pearl Road Widening Dealt a 6-Year Setback

City isn't taking the bad news lying down, though

Strongsville officials were hoping to start the final phase of the Pearl Road widening next year, but that now appears next to impossible. The looming financial crisis in Ohio's transportation program has pushed funding for the project back until 2019. "It was disappointing to hear it's been pushed so far in the future," Council President Mike Daymut said. The project would make Pearl five lanes up Stoney Hill, all the way to the county line at Boston Road. But don't expect Strongsville officials, who have already hired an engineer to design the project, to accept a six-year delay without a fight. "I know the mayor is constantly meeting with engineers to find whatever funding is out there," Daymut said. And officials are hoping the fact …

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Pearl Road Project Was On Time, Under Budget

Mayor says wider street opened up travel for residents, businesses

The Pearl Road widening project wrapped up on time and under budget, Mayor Tom Perciak said. The city is paying the last few bills associated with the widening, which took Pearl from two lanes to five for most of the way from Shurmer to a point south of Drake. "That road was completed as per budget," Perciak said. The widening was needed for several reasons, the mayor said -- to improve traffic flow for residents and businesses, and to provide better access to an undeveloped industrial area off Foltz Parkway. The project has already paid off for retailers located on the newly widened section of Pearl, Councilman at large Joe MeMio said. "It's a different world now for them," he said. Next up: The city will try in 2012 to find funding to …

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Pearl Road Officially Opens with Ribbon Cutting

Widening is celebrated by dozens of local officials

Never mind that cars have been driving on the freshly paved lanes for days now. Pearl Road officially reopened this morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by city, county and state officials. "Pearl Road South is a reality," Mayor Tom Perciak declared shortly before opening a wider roadway that is expected to better serve retailers and commuters, improve drainage and give better access to undeveloped industrial land. Police stopped traffic briefly while a series of orange construction barrels were linked together with green and white ribbons, which were cut by Perciak, State Sen. Tom Patton, State Rep. Mike Dovilla, County ExecutiveEd FitzGerald and others. Crews have spent more than a year widening the road from where it narrowed…

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5 Things to Know This Week

Pearl Road to reopen, fish fry back on the menu, 9/11 service planned

1. City Council meets tonight (Tuesday, Sept. 6) after a month-long summer recess at 8 p.m. in Council Chambers. 2. The newly widened Pearl Road will officially open at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of St. John Neumann Church. 3. The Strongsville Mustangs play an away game on Friday night, taking on Padua. The game begins at 7 p.m. at Padua High School, 6740 State Road in Parma. 4. The VFW Post 3345 has resumed its weekly Friday night fish fry. You can get dinner there from 4-7:30 p.m. Diners can either eat in or carry dinner out. 5. There will be a citywide 9/11 ceremony at 6 p.m. on the City Commons, organized by First Evangelical Lutheran Church.

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