Main corridor in West Carrollton near I-75 to get remake

Design plans are being finalized for what is estimated to be a $1.26 million project to restructure a strip of West Central Avenue.

The city plans to slightly widen West Central from Elm Street to Miami Avenue, and transform it from four lanes to three while adding on-street parking.

The work is designed so that the section of West Central can accommodate traffic expected to be generated from a $4.3 million volleyball complex with a restaurant and bar planned to open later this year. Developers of Miami Valley Sand – the 6.6-acre complex – say they expect it to attract at least 300 people a night.

The road construction – expected to start this summer – is also designed to blend with future streetscape changes and handle traffic growth through 2039, city officials said.

POPULAR: Fired Miami Twp. police officer identified

The project will “start the process of what we want the corridor to look like in the future,” West Carrollton Service Director Rich Norton said, “all the way from Miami (Avenue) to the interstate.”

While the West Central project is projected to cost $1.26 million, bid solicitations will go out later this month, Norton said. Bids will be opened the first week of July with the contract likely to be finalized later that month, after which work lasting about 90 days can start, he said.

Miami Valley Sand developers said last week the opening of that facility has been pushed back from Oct. 1 due to their construction delays. Norton said city officials want “both of these (projects) …. on a parallel path.”

The West Central work would include widening West Central from 41 to 44 feet and tear down the remainder of a cement that marked the border of the former Fraser Paper mill for decades, city records show.

RELATED: ‘A big win:’ $4.5M volleyball, bar/restaurant complex planned

Demolishing the wall would “set the stage for a future bike path” to be part of a future streetscape project with the goal of “making that whole area walkable and bike acceptable…..so it’s not just for vehicle traffic,” West Carrollton Public Relations Coordinator Erika Mattingly said.

The two lanes in each direction would be changed to one lane each way with a shared left turn lane, according to the city. On-street parking would be added on the south side of West Central next to Miami Valley Sand, which plans to have more than 300 parking spaces surrounding its 82,000 square feet facility.

A traffic light would added at the West Central/Miami intersection, which would serve as the main entrance for Miami Valley Sand, records show.

Some sewer and water improvements under Elm and Central will be included the project as to eliminate future disruption at the site, Norton said.

In addition, a “taper lane” will be created on East Central from Cedar Street to Elm to help maintain traffic flow, he said.

RELATED: West Carrollton downtown corridor target of new study

About the Author