Worthington City Council unanimously approved an $80,000 appropriation for engineering design services to resurface West Wilson Bridge Road from High Street to Olentangy River Road. The project will coordinate with a planned water main replacement to minimize disruption to residents and commuters.
Coordinating Infrastructure Projects
The resurfacing work is part of the city's arterial maintenance program, which addresses higher-traffic roads requiring more specialized planning than typical neighborhood street projects. City Engineer John Moorehead explained that the design work will evaluate pavement thickness, lane configurations, and traffic control measures.
A key feature of the planning is coordination with a water main replacement project scheduled for the same corridor. The water line work will extend from High Street to approximately the Rieber area, requiring significant excavation in the roadway.
"It is our intention to design the water line project which is underway, and this arterial project to incorporate traffic control, night work, other features that would help minimize the disruption to those traveling up and down the roadway," Moorehead said.
Both projects will be bid together as a single package, allowing one contractor to manage the entire scope of work and better coordinate the construction timeline.
Traffic Management and Night Work
To reduce impact on daily traffic and school bus routes, much of the most disruptive work will occur at night. Moorehead noted that any work requiring more than one lane closure will be scheduled during nighttime hours, keeping roads open for daytime traffic and school operations.
Council Member Rebecca Hermann raised concerns about the timing of construction and its potential impact on elementary school buses and traffic flow. Staff confirmed the project would likely go out for bid while school is still in session but assured council that daytime peak hours would remain open.
Council members also raised specific concerns about the project's impact on the Ville Charmante retirement community, which has only one signalized entrance on West Wilson Bridge Road. Staff confirmed they would coordinate closely with the property and its residents throughout the design and construction process.
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Safety and Accessibility Improvements
The project includes more than basic pavement replacement. Design work will address ADA compliance issues at the St. Antoine Street and Corporate Hill Drive intersection, where some crosswalks currently don't meet accessibility standards. The crossing at the Fishing Access Park, which currently lacks detectable warnings for pedestrians, will also receive attention.
The existing bike lane will be maintained and potentially improved with a marked buffer to create better separation between cyclists and vehicle traffic. Council members noted that while the bike lane may not represent best practices for bicycle infrastructure, it has provided a meaningful improvement over having no dedicated space for cyclists. The narrower perceived lane width has also helped reduce vehicle speeds on the corridor.
Financial Details and Next Steps
The $80,000 appropriation covers only the engineering design services. The actual construction cost for the resurfacing is estimated at approximately $1 million.
Before the vote, staff requested a technical amendment to correct an error in the introduced version of the ordinance, which referenced an incorrect project name. Council unanimously approved the amendment before passing the ordinance as amended.
Design work will move forward immediately, with staff planning to return to council in spring 2026 with a request for permission to bid the combined resurfacing and water main replacement project. Construction is expected to follow later in the year.