Commissioners to vote on donation to fund traffic study at Mines Road and Route 46 in Howland

WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners are expected to vote on a motion today to accept a donation from Howland Commons LLC, to be used for a turn lane study at the intersection of Mines Road and state Route 46 in Howland.

The donation from Howland Commons would provide $29,890 for the study.

Commissioner Denny Malloy said the project will look into the feasibility of adding a left turn lane on Mines Road to allow better access from that street onto Route 46.

The section of Mines Road where the turn lane study would be conducted is next to the plaza that contains restaurants Five Guys, Jimmy John's and Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh.

The main objective of the study, and eventual project, is to ease the traffic around the area of the Eastwood Mall.

"With Bass Pro (Shops) having their grand opening (today), there's going to be a massive amount of increased traffic in the mall area," Malloy said. "And with the diverging diamond going to restrict traffic on Routes 46 and 82, they're looking at an easier way for people to come from behind the mall. They said that a turning lane on Mines Road to get people in the flow of traffic on 46 would help."

Along with accepting the donation from Howland Commons, the motion, if approved, would authorize commissioners to enter into an agreement with GAI Consultants Inc., of North Canton, to perform the study.

"To get it started, they needed to do the turn lane study," Malloy said. "Howland Commons offered to put the money up for the study, then in return, we're looking through the TID (transportation improvement district) and other grant opportunities to get the traffic lane built, after we get the study. This is all to help alleviate traffic around the mall area."

Commissioners also will vote on legislation that would authorize the Trumbull County Planning Commission to advertise for price proposal packages for the PY22 Community Development Block Grant Residential Public Infrastructure Grant program / American Rescue Plan Act Heaton Chute Sanitary Lateral Household Assistance Project.

"Basically, Heaton Chute, within the next week or two, we're going to have substantial completion," Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer Gary Newbrough said. "We're going to do the house connections."

The requests for price proposals are due to interim clerk Lisa DeNunzio Blair by 3 p.m. Dec. 19.

The bids are for 25 sanitary lateral household connections.

"So any septic and licensed drain layers can contact the commissioners office for more information," Malloy said.