Another piece of the puzzle in West Chester Township’s long-term, wide scope vision for greater infrastructure improvement is almost in place.
Construction of the Smith Road Connector, a new half-mile multi-use pathway on the north side of Smith Road from near the Beckett Road roundabout to just west of State Route 747, is roughly 75% complete. The 10-foot-wide paved path should be ready for use by pedestrians, cyclists and recreational enthusiasts this summer.
In April, the West Chester Board of Trustees approved using a 2018 grant awarded by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) to fund the bulk of the $592,803.54 project and agreed to partner with Butler County Engineer’s Office (BCEO) for management of the work.
The OKI grant, fueled by the federal FAST (Fixing America's Surface Transportation) Act funds, allows the Township to utilize gas tax dollars and combine with a match from local TIF District money – rather than property taxes or other revenue sources – to improve infrastructure and expand mobility options for residents and stakeholders.
The Smith Road Connector links several existing pathways from the Union Centre area and Beckett Park plus Beckett Ridge Boulevard with the west side of Smith Road, north to Tylersville Road and near the Fairfield border.
W.G. Stang, LLC was chosen as the contractor for this project.
Data Informed Government
Roads and infrastructure improvement account for about 12% of the 2022 Operational Budget. While TIF is not included, it bears considerable consequence in consideration of Township projects and priorities.
The Smith Road Connector accounts for less than 5% of about $23.5 million in TIF funds budgeted for projects this year.
West Chester Township identified multi-purpose trails and opportunities for extending paths as a goal of its four-pronged 2021-22 Strategic Plan. Input from community surveys in 2019 and 2021 found respondents ranked mobility and investment in public infrastructure as important to overall quality-of-life. Goal 3 of the Strategic Plan acknowledges differing perspectives about infrastructure to include roads and multi-use pathways, and outlines ways forward.
For more information about Township finance and goals, explore the West Chester Data Informed Government (DIG) portal at www.WestChesterOH.org/DIG.