City of Hillsboro holds construction groundbreaking for 'long-awaited' Roberts Lane extension project

Accompanied by county officials as well as their project engineer, leaders from the City of Hillsboro held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 17 on state Route 73 to mark the start of construction for the long-planned Roberts Lane extension.

The ceremony came almost two years to the day since Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha introduced initial plans for the project at the Oct. 12, 2021 city council meeting and subsequent public hearing Oct. 18, 2021. As has been noted by Harsha, however, the idea for the project had been discussed for years before current administrators began taking decisive action.

“We’ve been talking about Roberts for years and years and years,” Harsha said Tuesday. “It’s finally here. It’s icing on the cake.”

Joining Harsha for the ceremony Tuesday morning from the City of Hillsboro were safety and service director Brianne Abbott, public works superintendent Shawn Adkins, administrative assistant/council clerk Whitney Aliff, auditor Dawson Barreras, council president Tom Eichinger, grant writer Kirby Ellison, Planning Commission member Bill Sims and code enforcement officer/economic development coordinator Lauren Walker. Also present were Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades; Highland County Chamber of Commerce executive director Jamie Wheeler; and project engineer Gary Silcott of DLZ.

“Thanks, everybody, for coming,” Harsha said. “This is a long-awaited project.

“Everyone here has played a pivotal role in getting this all started. We’re excited about it.”

Harsha said that the city was holding a pre-construction meeting later on Tuesday to discuss the first phase of the project, which will involve dirt work as they get the land ready for further construction. They expect the first phase to begin this month, possibly as soon as this week.

“They said they thought they might be able to get it done in 30 days, the dirt portion of it,” Harsha said.

The first phase of the project was awarded to R.B. Jergens, as discussed at the October city council meeting.

“Congratulations,” Britton told Harsha after the ceremony. “This is a great deal here. It will be a great addition.”

Below, see a timeline and background on some of the city’s work on the Roberts Lane development thus far.

• Oct. 12, 2021: Harsha announced that the city had some “preliminary drawings” for what he then called a “Fenner Avenue” extension, as a way to open up space for commercial development in the city.

• Oct. 18, 2021: Harsha and members of the Hillsboro Planning Commission fielded comments and questions from concerned citizens about the proposed extension of Fenner Avenue and Roberts Lane during a public hearing. Harsha explained that the goal of the extension was “trying to open up some commercial property” and “to create more thoroughfare … to alleviate the traffic problem” in the city. At that time, the project was estimated at $8 million.

• Oct. 20, 2021: Harsha, Abbott and Adkins presented a preliminary map and gave an overview of the proposal at a county commission meeting. Commissioners offered their support for the project.

• During a special meeting Feb. 28, 2022, Hillsboro City Council voted 6-1 to pass two pieces of emergency legislation authorizing a potential property purchase by the city “not to exceed” $1.38 million as part of thee proposal. Those “necessary steps,” according to the resolution, included “obtaining financing in an amount not to exceed $1,380,000” and “executing all necessary documents to close the transaction on behalf of the city.” The parcel was approximately 69.29 acres on state Route 73, purchased from Hauke-Dragoo Properties. (The ceremony Tuesday morning was held on that site.)

• At the April 14, 2022 council meeting, then-city auditor Alex Butler spoke about obtaining funding for the 69.29-acre parcel on state Route 73. Butler told The Highland County Press that the city received seven quotes, and “Truist Bank came back with the best terms,” at 2.03 percent. The property purchase was still not complete at that time.

• Highland County commissioners heard nine proposals for using the county’s ARPA dollars May 4, 2022. The largest ask, in terms of dollar amount, was a $3,160,152 request from the City of Hillsboro to help with infrastructure development costs of the proposed Roberts Lane extension. The money would be used for roadway, storm sewer controls and water/sewer services, city leaders said.

• In a release by then-State Rep. Shane Wilkin’s office May 9, 2022, and also discussed at the May 12, 2022 city council meeting, it was announced that the city had received a $2.3 million roadwork grant for the extension.

• On June 16, 2022, city council approved an emergency resolution to participate in the aforementioned State of Ohio Department of Development Roadwork Development Grant, for fiscal year 2022, and to execute contracts as required.

• At the Aug. 11, 2022 council meeting, Abbott announced that the Roberts Lane extension project funding proposal was ranked first at the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission’s second-round county caucus meeting in July.

• City leaders announced that they had finalized the purchase of the parcel surrounding the area of the Roberts Lane extension at the Oct. 13, 2022 Hillsboro City Council meeting. That meeting marked the one-year anniversary of Harsha first introducing the proposal.

• Council passed an ordinance to expend 100 percent of the city’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds, in the amount of $689,341.81, on engineering costs related to the Roberts Lane extension project during their Nov. 17, 2022 meeting. Harsha also said that the city had begun preliminary talks with the Ohio Department of Transportation on the 69-acre parcel acquired by the city.

• On Nov. 18, 2022, Abbott provided The Highland County Press with an update on plans for the Roberts Lane extension, including a revised map. According to Abbott, the original engineering drawings were updated considerably, based on feedback from citizens and other factors.

• Harsha delivered his State of the City report to council at the Jan. 12, 2023 council meeting. “The Roberts Lane 69-acre plot was purchased, and it will become a major expansion for the city,” the mayor told council. “Road construction will open commercial and residential opportunities that will take us years into the future, not only for growth, but it will also be a major source of funding for many future economic projects.

“By owning this property, we have the tools to tailor-fit developments to the needs of our community. We plan to utilize a portion of this property to have walking trails and picnic areas for people who enjoy a lunch break and for citizens looking to stretch their legs. Roberts Lane will become another connection between our major thoroughfares, which will help ease the traffic flow and be beneficial for emergency crews.”

Also on Jan. 12, council approved an emergency resolution for the city to enter into a contract with DLZ Ohio Inc. for the design of the Roberts Lane development. According to the proposal from DLZ, the scope of work includes “performing site design; water, sanitary and storm sewer design; lot layout and grading; roadway design, including two roundabouts, soil borings and plan preparation; [and] preparation of bid document and administering the bidding process for the city.” The estimated timetable for the work is 13 months, the proposal says. The estimate for DLZ’s services was “not to exceed $712,835,” the proposal said.

• Then-Highland County Land Bank Coordinator Mackenzie Edison announced Feb. 16 that Evans Landscaping had begun, and was nearly finished with, the teardown of an abandoned barn located on the parcel purchased by the City of Hillsboro. State grant funding coordinated by the Highland County Land Reutilization Corporation was used to clean up the site.

• Also on Feb. 16, Abbott asked the finance committee to “review the funding packages” for Roberts Lane. During that meeting, council approved a resolution authorizing the city to prepare and submit an application to participate in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program for surface transportation infrastructure projects, which would be used for the Roberts Lane project.

• Members of the Hillsboro Finance Committee met March 9 to review funding plans for three infrastructure projects, including the Roberts Lane extension. As of that meeting, estimates showed the Roberts Lane extension to be a $10.4 million project, Ellison told the committee.

Of that, the city had already secured $2.3 million from the State Controlling Board and $700,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars toward the project. Ellison said that the city had have low-interest loan agreements from the state water pollution control revolving loan and water supply revolving loan in the amount of $3.7 million (for storm and sanitary sewers) and $1.2 million (for water), pending council approval. Ellison was estimating another $1.2 million in potential funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission and Highland County commission, leaving the remaining balance to finance at roughly $1.2 million. She also pointed out that the estimates for the Roberts Lane extension include a $795,817 bike trail project that would take the amount left to fund down to under half a million dollars.

• At the March 16 council meeting, Harsha gave council members and others in attendance a copy of the most recent design by engineering firm DLZ for the proposed Roberts Lane extension. As noted by Harsha, the updated layout showed space for new buildings and businesses. For the road itself, Harsha pointed out a roundabout in the middle of Roberts Lane, while there was also a cul-de-sac in the middle of a potential development site.

• After a second meeting, members of the Hillsboro Finance Committee voted unanimously April 5 to recommend passage of two ordinances related to loan agreements for Roberts Lane. The meeting was held less than four hours after Highland County commissioners passed a resolution agreeing to commit $750,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the project.

• Council moved forward with plans for funding the Roberts Lane extension April 13, passing resolutions for the city to apply for, accept and enter into a water supply revolving loan fund account agreement for planning, design and/or construction of water facilities and a water pollution control loan fund agreement for planning, design and/or construction of wastewater facilities.

• Council voted June 15 to approve two more resolutions related to Roberts Lane. That included a resolution authorizing the safety and service director to advertise, solicit bids and enter into a contract with the lowest and best bidder for the development of Roberts Lane. Also during the meeting, council voted via resolution to enter into a grant agreement for the previously earmarked ARPA funding from the Highland County Board of Commissioners.
 
• Council members authorized city administrators to enter a $1.7 million loan agreement for the planned Roberts Lane extension during their July 13 meeting. Prior to the vote, council heard from Mike Burns, managing director of financial services firm Robert W. Baird & Co. Burns explained the reasoning behind borrowing from the ODOT State Infrastructure Bank instead of other means. According to the legislation, the city will “enter into a loan agreement with the SIB, in the amount of not to exceed $1.7 million, plus capitalized interest estimated to be $49,630,” at a 20-year fixed rate.

• Council most recently received an update on plans for the Roberts Lane extension during their Thursday, Oct. 12 meeting, now two years into the planning process. As shown now, engineering plans have two new streets — Hauke-Dragoo Avenue and Morgan Lane — being added to the development off of state Route 73. The most recent engineering map for the project can be seen with this article (courtesy of the City of Hillsboro and DLZ).