Repairs ahead for West River Road

Vermilion officials are gearing up to fix a wretched road.City council recently approved a $551,000 contract so crews from Norwalk-based A.J. Riley can reconfigure and smooth a portion of West River Road.The eight-month project, scheduled to start April 1, aims to enhance West River Road from Larchmont Drive to the southern corporation line.Vermilion taxpayers are contributing about $110,200. The remaining amount, about $440,800, derives from a budget overseen by Erie County's metropolitan planning organization. The organization only funds major roadways in urban areas, such as Vermilion.For years, city officials waited for upgrades on West River Road, plagued by bumps, potholes and a warped shape in certain areas."This road has been in need of repair for several years," Vermilion Mayor Eileen Bulan said.Vermilion's budget could only cover the $110,200 needed to fix West River Road after residents approved a streets levy this year.In May, city residents overwhelmingly approved a road improvement issue, which should generate $509,000 annually for the foreseeable future. Coupled with a $2 million loan, city officials planned on completing the following streets this year: • Ohio Street's entire length • Yorktown Place's entire length. • Edgewater Boulevard from Rowland Road to Woodside Avenue. • Sanford Street from Larchmont Drive to the south end. • Sunnyside Road from North Ridge Road to Jerusalem Road. Had voters rejected the levy, it's unlikely West River Road would have received money for upgrades in 2014. "Since we passed our street levy this year, we now have the funding in place to be able to do our match for this paving" Bulan said.