Roundabout project receives funding

PERKINS TWP. — Securing federal funds helped square away the biggest hurdle for pursuing a roundabout project at a busy local intersection. Not too long ago, Erie County engineer Eric Dodrill learned his office received about $1.7 million in pledged federal funds for proceeding with this specific circular traffic-calming measure at Campbell Street and West Strub Road in Perkins Township. It's located just south of Perkins High School. Dodrill thanked his office's relationship with the Ohio County Engineers Association, which helped advocate for this project, resulting in federal funds banked for this upcoming project. "We are hopeful to have this project in design soon and construction in 2028," Dodrill said. This marks the only scheduled local roundabout project overseen by Erie County's government. The others are state/federal projects, including those planned on: • U.S. 6 between Huron and Sandusky • East Mason and Mudbrook (Ohio 13) roads in the Milan area • Hayes Avenue (Ohio 4) and West Strub Road in Perkins Township Reviewing the roundabout Dodrill along with county project engineer Matt Rogers answered some additional questions about the scheduled roundabout project: • Why it's being proposed: "The county engineer's office is committed to the safety of the traveling public. Based on the safety study by Lanham Engineering, dated March 2022, a single-lane roundabout was the long-term recommendation for this intersection. This determination was made based on traffic volume, crash data and local neighborhood characteristics, (such as the) proximity to Perkins High School's campus, Windamere subdivision, pedestrian traffic, etc." • How much is the project: At $2.1 million, the federal government, through its highway safety improvement program, intends to provide $1.7 million. The county engineer's office, meanwhile, will cover the balance of roughly $400,000. "Without this (state) funding, it would be extremely difficult to move forward on a project of this size without outside funding." • When could construction work start: "We are hopeful we can move forward with environmental, right-of-way and design phases of the project in 2026 and 2027 with construction in 2028."