8/14/14 ODOT has parking lot site for Berlin

  • By Nick Sabo
  • August 14, 2014
  • 488
                        
SUMMARY: ODOT District 11 finalizing purchase of 2.2 acre lot capable of accommodating 51 parking spaces to offset parking lost in road widening project. The Ohio Department of Transportation is in the process of closing a deal for an off-street parking lot serving Berlin’s business district. Steve Lucas ODOT District 11 real estate administrator said purchase of a 2.2 acre lot from a private seller is being finalized. The lot will have a holding capacity of approximately 51 parking spaces, Lucas said. The lot is to make up for street-side parking that will be lost as part of a 2015 road widening project on state Route 39/U.S. 62. The project begins at Berlin Elementary and ends east of the state Route 39/U.S. 62 split - right through Berlin’s business district. Berlin merchants have said that the loss of the street-side parking will be a double hit to downtown. Besides the obvious loss of parking spaces, merchants say the ability to pull right up to the front of a store lends to Berlin’s rural atmosphere. The affected area of Berlin has the capacity for 42 to 43 street side parking spaces, according to ODOT”s estimate. The parking lot was not part of the original project. It was added after ODOT received numerous complaints during the project’s public comment phase. The lot is located within the project area, Lucas said. ODOT received 10 interested sellers in its search for property to build the lot, Lucas said. Lucas noted that the usual practice when taking property for a project is to go with imminent domain. However, the fact that so many property owners came out on their own made the issue moot. “We didn’t want to go with imminent domain, especially with so many willing sellers coming forward,” Lucas said. “Anytime you can avoid (imminent domain), it is better for all involved.” After the parking lot is completed, maintenance will be turned over to the Berlin Township Trustees. The project will widen state Route 39/U.S. 62 through Berlin to 34 feet from the street’s current varying width of 26 - 32 feet. A 100 foot turn lane will be installed at the Main Street/Market Street intersection and a 400 foot turn lane at the state route 39/U.S. 62 split.The turn lanes will be part of a continuos center lane that runs from Township Road 359 through the state Route 39/U.S. 62 split. The project is aimed at reducing rear-end collisions in town. Becky Giauque, District 11 spokesperson, said the parking lot “will be the first order of business” when the widening project begins in spring. Access to businesses will be maintained throughout the project, Giauque said. Giauque said District 11 will release more details on the lot after the sale of the property is final.


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