New City would have to take on more roadways

By Ron Nunnari
Independent
Staff Writer

If the proposed merger between Randolph and the Village of Clayton occurs, the newly formed city would be faced with additional roads to maintain. According to figures provided by the merger study commission, the additional road miles would not create a burden for the new city as increased funds would be available.

Roughly 37 miles of new roads would become the responsibility of the new city. This figure includes roads currently maintained by the county and some state roadways. There are approximately five miles of state roads and 29.8 of county, and 2.31 of United States roadway (Route 40)' that would become the responsibility of the new city.

Presently the township has 55 miles of roads, plus 5.5 miles in Clayton, for a total of 60.5 miles. The new roads would increase that

total to 97.5 miles.

The present road budget of Randolph and Clayton combined is $382,700. This would equate to roughly $6,300 in revenues specifically targeted for the road 'budget. These funds are generated by gas taxes, inside millage and motor vehicle license taxes, etc.

The new city would have a total of 97.5 miles of roadway and would have a road budget of approximately $613,100 available per year. This equals $6,288 per road mile available for maintenance nearly identical to the current monies available.

These figures are based on a worst case scenario, factoring for the most possible road miles that will have to be maintained by the new city, according to Don Imbus, Randolph Township clerk/treasurer, co-chairman of the Randolph/ Clayton Merger Study Commission.

"The increased monies that we receive as a result of the merger will

offset the added responsibility of the additional roads that we become responsible for," stated Imbus. "Roads are a challenge whether we remain a township and a village or whether we become a new city. The roads are still there and need attention. But we do believe as a city we would be better prepared and have greater authority and opportunities to resolve road related problems."

The merger study commission has budgeted for two additional full time people in the road department as well as additional equipment, such as a single axle dump truck and two tandem axle dump trucks and an additional salt storage bin.

A full report will be issued by the merger study commission regarding roads and other related merger issues at the end of the summer for public review. This report will be mailed to each household in the Clayton and in the unincorporated area of the

township. Imbus says he anticipates the report to be mailed around Labor Day.

When and if the merger occurs the county may offer to maintain some of the roads falling under its jurisdiction until the new city has a chance to get organized. Similar deals were made with the Village of Riverside and Mad River Township when they merged, as well as with Trotwood and Madison Township, according Doug Miller, a design engineer with the Montgomery County Engineer's Office.

Miller stated that, as far as the county roads are concerned, once a merger occurs the roads will

responsibility of the

new city. But county maintained bridges are a different story.

According to the Ohio Revised Code if a bridge above a body of water is located on a 'through route' (a roadway which runs through the entire city) the county would continue to maintain that bridge. But if a bridge goes over another roadway, or is over a body of water but doesn't run the entire length of the city, the county is not responsible for maintenance.

"If a merger would take place on Jan. 1, I would assume this office would come up with an agreement to continue road maintenance until,.

a specified date," said Miller. A similar agreement was made with Riverside and Trotwood. We agreed to do snow and ice removal until the season was over, but if it entailed overtime, the city was charged for service.

"With Trotwood we agreed to perform snow and ice control during normal working hours at no charge. After hours we charged them for

overtime pay- to our crew and charged them for salt, but did not charge them for fuel, oil or maintenance on our trucks. As far as storm sewers, once they became a city those duties became their responsibility.''

Two roadways would be affected by the merger are Diamond Mill and Westbrook Roads. The county Still maintains both of these roads. But when a merger occurs, a city's border runs to the center line of the road, meaning Trotwood's boundary and Randolph/Clayton's boundary would meet at the center of Westbrook Road.

"That would mean those two cities would have to work out an agreement as to who maintains the roadway" said Miller.

Typically in these types of cases each jurisdiction will plow and maintain their side of the road, but negotiations between the two entities could result in a different agreement.

According to Miller other roads that might be affected by a merger include North County Line Road

and Diamond Mill Road. The portion of Diamond Mill that will run through the new city would no longer be maintained by the county.

A small section of Philadelphia Drive that runs through Randolph between Harrison Township and the Still water River would also be affected. "We might continue to plow that stretch of Philadelphia because it is so small, but that is pure speculation," stated Miller.

Miller said the county did a lot of street resurfacing for Mad River Township prior to its merger with Riverside. "We did the resurfacing for them because we knew they would be financially strapped, added Miller. For that we used State Issue 11 and other funds to help with that situation. We will potentially do the same for Randolph/ Clayton. We are looking into that at this tune."