NOACA announces $3.1M in funding

NOACA announced more than $3.1 million in grants for Lorain County, according to a news release.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, also known as NOACA, announced Dec. 8 more than $3.1 million in grants for Lorain County, according to a news release.

As part of $47 million dollar package for 21 projects across northeast Ohio, the Lorain County Metro Parks will receive more than $2.5 million for two projects, the release said.

The funding will allow for the completion of the Black River Trail Extension and connection to Lake Erie as well as the construction of a multiuse bridge across the Black River.

Metro Parks Director Jim Ziemnik said he was ecstatic about the announcement.

Ziemnik said after submitting an application in early 2017, the announcement of the grants came as a welcome surprise he was not expecting a decision until early 2018.

“We are tying to the lakefront and then we’re crossing the Black River down in Cascade Park,” he said. “We are just so pleased and proud because it gives us the ability to serve these people.”

Ziemnik added this round of funding will give the Metro Parks the opportunity to complete the last two pieces of the Trail Extension project to connect Lorain County to Lake Erie and will assist in prioritizing active transportation.

The project is expected to go out to bid in early 2018 with construction soon to follow.

Ziemnik said the design for the Cascade Park bridge is near completion.

The city of Lorain will receive $664,500 for traffic signal upgrades at state Route 57 and East 28th Street and shared use path bike lanes at Washington Avenue.

Mayor Chase Ritenauer said the administration was happy to receive the positive news and being able to continue improving transportation infrastructure.

“Improvements to infrastructure are costly, and it always helps when federal dollars come home to make investments,” Ritenauer said.

“I am also happy to see more dollars going toward making Lorain a friendlier place for multimodal transportation.”

According to the release, in June 2017, the NOACA Board approved “AIM Forward 2040,” a long-range transportation plan to address regional needs over the next 20 years.

“We are so pleased to be able to fund transportation projects that help our communities become better places to live and work,” said NOACA Executive Director Grace Gallucci. “At the same time, the projects being implemented will help us as (a) region to realize our long-range goal of achieving increased mobility in Northeast Ohio.”

Overall, the projects will aid in priorities to transportation infrastructure to relieve traffic congestion, promote active transportation and investments in transit, the release said.