REBUILDING MARION

ODOT applies for $8 million grant to build 309 overpass

John Jarvis
Reporter

MARION – Ohio Department of Transportation District 6 has applied for an $8 million federal grant to cover 73 percent of the cost of building an overpass on Ohio 309 to eliminate traffic tie-ups caused by rail traffic at Marion Intermodal.

As written in the grant application by Brian Davidson, ODOT District 6 project manager, according to Gus Comstock, Marion CAN DO! director, the grant would enable ODOT "to eliminate the blocked CSX railroad spur, improve traffic safety as well as promote economic development opportunities."

The estimated cost of the project is $11 million, including engineering, right-of-way and utility relocation and construction.

In the application, ODOT states, "Although no local match is required for Rural TIGER Grants, the project partners have committed to pool together $3 million ... of the project cost."

The local partners include Marion Industrial Center, the Marion County Board of Commissioners, CSX Railroad, the Marion County Engineer's Office, the city of Marion, Marion CAN DO!, Marion County Regional Planning, JobsOhio-Columbus 2020, the Columbus Region Logistics Council, River Valley Baseball for Youth and the Marion Senior Center.

Comstock said ODOT will learn this fall whether the project is awarded the TIGER Discretionary Grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery competitive grant program.

Ted Graham, president of Marion Industrial Center where Marion Intermodal is located, said the train activity at his facility will grow, and that the overpass will alleviate traffic concerns.

Currently, the intermodal facility has four trains entering and leaving the facility on the tracks that cross Ohio 309 just east of Pole Lane Road, Graham said.

"The key there is they're getting longer," he said. "As far as the volume, we're experiencing a 20 percent increase (from a year ago). I would fully expect it to grow. It's a project that is definitely needed, and I feel like ODOT and the county are working well together on what is already a problem and is going to be a bigger one."

According to ODOT's application, "Marion County has established a tax increment financing district to capture the gains associated with economic development around the project" via a resolution approved May 26 by the county commissioners.

The TIF could generate up to $2.5 million long-term through expansion at and near Marion Industrial Center, where Marion Intermodal is located, the application states. The projected revenue would be used to back a state infrastructure bank loan or other financial method used to make funds available immediately.

The Ohio Rail Development Commission has pledged to contribute $250,000 toward the project, and CSX has committed private capital funds toward construction of the overpass.

Comstock said the city and the Marion County engineer have said they plan to pursue $500,000 in Ohio Public Works money to put toward the project.

"I've done a lot of grants in my time, and I've never submitted a grant I feel better about than this grant," he said, noting that he did not apply for the TIGER grant. "What's exciting about this grant is that CSX picked three projects nationwide to endorse, and this is one of them. That's important."

The application states that of the many alternatives evaluated in the feasibility study, a grade separation is the recommended solution.

Initially, the grade separation was not considered cost-effective because it would require reconstruction of the Ohio 309/Pole Lane Road intersection and affect right of way, including the taking of baseball fields that are protected publicly owned recreation areas.

The preferred alternative that was selected among those evaluated in the feasibility study was a realignment of existing Ohio 309 to the south of the Marion Industrial Center.

However, when ODOT hosted public meetings to present the alternatives that were evaluated, "there was resounding support for an overpass," the alternative preferred by the majority of people attending the meeting, the application states. The right-of-way effect of the 309 realignment would split generational farms in half, and in one case would destroy a farm homestead.

The realignment also would not alleviate the conflict for the Marion Senior Center or Marion County Developmental Disabilities, which requires emergency medical services and transit on a daily basis. The blocked crossings that are occurring are expected to worsen as future development occurs.

The application states ODOT has engaged the River Valley Baseball for Youth facility, and its operators support the application for federal funding for an overpass, which would eliminate the conflict at the CSX spur and align with the organization's long-term master plan, which includes expansion to the east.

ODOT has spent $292,650 on the feasibility study to determine its preferred alternative to resolve the traffic stoppages that occur multiple times daily on Ohio 309 as trains deliver freight to and from Marion Intermodal on Ohio 309, east of Pole Lane Road.

ODOT has $279,676 available for development of alternatives for the intersections and preliminary engineering; ODOT also will provide funding toward pavement work for the project.

jjarvis@marionstar.com

740-375-5154

Twitter: @jmwjarvis

Coming Sunday

As part of our Five To Thrive series, we look closer at infrastructure needs in Marion County.