Northwest Connector
All of the Northwest Industrial Connector except an overpass will be done by approximately fall of 2010, Marion County Engineer Brad Irons estimated.
The $17 million project, which once completed will link Ohio 95 West to Marion-Williamsport Road with a 2.65-mile road, likely will break ground this fall, Irons said. Local officials sought construction of the road to expedite shipping for Whirlpool Corp., the county's largest employer, alleviate heavy truck traffic downtown and open up land along the route to industrial development.
Federal stimulus money totaling $5.1 million awarded for the 4 1/2-year-old project includes a deadline requiring the money to be spent by March 2010, but Irons said the county is ahead of schedule.
"I'm not worried about that date because we're so far ahead," he said, adding that the Marion County Board of Commissioners' adoption of a resolution May 12 moves the project ahead the next step toward acquiring the land needed for the road.
He estimated the entire project including the overpass might be done in fall of 2011.
The resolution moves to appropriate property for the Northwest Connector for real estate owned or used by Ohio American Water Co., Richard A. and Constance L. Sheaffer, R.A. Shaeffer Inc., William and Sandra Bates, Carl and Karen Hamm and Harriman Family Partnership. The county has made offers to those property owners, but been unable to negotiate a purchase price. If unable to reach purchase agreements through negotiation with individual land owners, the county will file an eminent domain action in Marion County Common Pleas Court and proceed with the project as the court sets a purchase price, County Prosecutor Brent Yager said.
Yager said the county will send the land owners a "good faith offer" based on appraisals the county had done by M.E. Companies of Columbus. The land owners will have 30 days to accept or counter the offer.
The agency takes a cavalier attitude about; the ability to utilize eminent domain to acquire and the values of the properties involved. The arrogance in the condemnor could hurt both the owners and the government.
