Friday, February 17, 2006

 

Landfill ramp hinges on resolving 3 issues

By BARB LIMBACHER, T-R Staff Correspondent
The Times-Reporter

EAST SPARTA – David Held, executive director of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District, said he and officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility and others met Tuesday about the status of a proposed I-77 on/off ramp at Gracemont St. in Stark County.

Countywide officials said until three issues are resolved, they will not take any action on construction of a ramp.

Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula attended the meeting along with Jack Noble of ODOT; Tim Vandersall and Tom Hamilton of Countywide; Frank Reed, attorney for Countywide; Paul Yeager of Stark County Regional Planning; and Stark County Engineer Mike Rehfus.

Officials from ODOT told those attending there is $3 million from the federal government to be used for construction of a ramp that would lead to Countywide RDF at 3619 Gracemont St. SW, East Sparta.

Residents have complained about truck traffic on the narrow county roads leading to Countywide in Pike Township.

Held said the first issue is about funding from the Joint Solid Waste District toward construction of a ramp.

“There are no funds available from the district and none appropriated,” Held said. “The $3 million we had set aside for a ramp was used to pave roads leading to landfills in the three counties in the amount of $1. 9 million. The remaining funds were returned to the general fund.”

The second issue centers on Countywide. Officials said they have $11 million for the construction of a ramp but that depends upon the Pike Township settlement agreement

The third issue is a pending Environmental Reviews Appeals Commission’s decision about whether to allow Countywide to expand. The three-person ERAC panel is studying testimony.

Held said ODOT officials stated at the meeting they need $500,000 to do a feasibility study about construction of a ramp or an alternate route. ODOT officials estimated a ramp would cost $20 million to construct, according to Held.