City hangs traffic signals at problem intersection

Operation of lights at Marion-Williamsport and Ohio 4 will coincide with railroad crossing

by Paul Vernon, The Marion Star Staff Writer, February 1,2000

The new traffic signals being installed at Ohio 4 and Marion-Williamsport Road have been a long time coming, according to greater Marion Community Area New Development Organization, Inc. president Dave Claborn.

"It's an intersection that cried out for traffic control," he said. "It's taken a while for the state to move on it. The lights have been ordered and built and are in the process of being installed."

The project is being done by Miller Cable of Green Springs. The signals are now in place, and workers hope to have the lights turned on sometime this week.

Claborn expects the intersection to get much busier once all of the companies in the Dual Rail Industrial Park are at full production. According to Claborn, LTV receives raw material by rail and ships out its finished product by truck. US Yachiyo and Marion Industries will use trucks to both receive raw materials and ship their products.

"It's a busy intersection and it's getting busier with the truck traffic," Claborn said.

According to Dale Osborn, Marion's safety/service director, safety was the major reason for installing with signal.

"That's the only reason we're putting it up there," he said.

Osborn said that the project is costing about $100,000. Most traffic signals cost around $60,000, he said.

"It is being timed to coincide with the railroad intersection," Osborn said. "That is why it is so expensive."

The project is being funded with part of a 20-year, $2 million loan that the city received from the State of Ohio, and that loan will be paid back through tax increment financing (TIF). LTV Tubular Steel was given a tax break from the state on its real property, and the savings realized is used by the city to pay back the loan for the improvement project.

The loan paid for Kellogg Parkway, the widening of Marion-Williamsport Road and the signal project. "This is the last part of that TIF," Osborn said.

The city also hope that eventually a railroad overpass can be constructed. For now, the railroad signal will be connected with the traffic light to control traffic congestion.

"this is something that we could do immediately," Osborn said. "Nobody has committed the dollars yet for that (overpass) project."

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