City's Suggests New Shared-Use Path on South Crawford Street
Additional Improvements Suggested for Herrlinger Park in 2025
Yesterday, the City of Troy held their second required public hearing, ostensibly to gain public feedback, on proposed improvements that will be funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The hearing was attended by only two residents (including the author of this post) and three city staff members.
The CDBG program is designed to give communities funds to undertake a wide-array of activities that will help improve low-to-moderate income areas, provide services to low-to-moderate income populations or eliminate “slum and blight” in communities.
This publication talked in-depth about some of the outreach that occurred and the community needs that were outlined in previous meetings as the city was planning this grant request.
What's Happening on Crawford Street?
Crawford Street is not exactly your typical street. That is because there are two distinct portions of Crawford Street. The North half begins at East Water Street near St. Patrick’s Church and ends at Herrlinger Park as it dead ends at East West Street. Turn right at the dead end and go over the railroad tracks, and the far south end of Crawford Stre…
This year, the City is scheduled to receive approximately $150,000, but the city is also going after a competitive funding grant of an additional $750,000. All told, the City is working towards getting upwards of $900,000 to make improvements to the community.
The project that the city is eyeing for the $900,000 investment is a part-two project. The first part would make improvements to Herrlinger Park, located at the corner of Union and East West Streets in the city’s east side.
If awarded, the City is planning on using upwards of $100,000 to make this park more of a community-wide attraction. Some of the improvements include the installation of new pickleball courts (at a cost of roughly over $43,000) and a new nine-hole disc golf course (at a cost of $3,400). It is also planned to install new playground equipment as well as lighting and fencing, as well as improvements to parking areas. These improvements would be made in 2025.
The second phase of the project would occur in 2026. In that phase, the City would install a new shared-use path, that could be used by bicycles, on the west side of Crawford Street from Herrlinger Park up to East Water Street.
The total cost of this project is still unclear, but the estimated costs for this project is over $1.4 million. The funding from the Community Development Block Grant would cover approximately half the cost ($780,000) and the city is planning on using $250,000 in Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund and $550,000 in Storm Water and Sidewalk Improvement funding in 2026 to make the project happen. The below screenshot shows the financing plan as it was presented at the public hearing.
The City Staff on hand stated that a shared-use path going north and south, east of downtown, was a pivotal part of the 2017 MKSK/Downtown Redevelopment Study that occurred.
That’s true, but the improvements put forward in the MKSK plan didn’t necessarily call for the extensive (and expensive) sidewalk improvements that were outlined in the grant application. Rather, the bicycle infrastructure that was proposed was placed in the street; the below screenshot from the MKSK plan visually describes what improved bicycle infrastructure could look like in a 60’ right-of-way (the standard width of most two-lane city streets).
A Resident from the neighborhood stated that her neighbors aren’t necessarily thrilled with the idea of a large dedicated path in their front yard. Issues about maintenance and liability were not fully addressed with the residents, and those issues need to be resolved before residents fully support the project.
The City staff did state that if the larger and more competitive $750,000 Neighborhood Revitalization Grant is not funded, the City would still receive $150,000. With those funds, the City would make security and door improvements to the Lincoln Community Center and also continue to add ADA compliant ramps to city sidewalks, focusing on the neighborhoods north of the Great Miami River, including the Sherwood neighborhood.
At this point, this grant proposal will be discussed at a Council Committee on May 28th and will be in front of the full council on June 3rd. The application for these funds is due to the State of Ohio by June 12th.
What are your thoughts? Does South Crawford Street need a dedicated bike lane? Will the improvements at Herrlinger Park make it more attractive to visitors from other parts of the city? Leave your ideas and insights in the comment section!
Thanks for reading today’s Civic Capacity Newsletter! Did you know, for less than $1 per week, you can support this effort to bring local news and information directly to you and your neighbors? If you have not considered being a paid subscriber to this effort, please do so. Through your generous paid subscription, you are helping provide this information to our community!
Feel free to share this information! Through informing and educating our community’s stakeholders, we are creating a stronger community. Civic Capacity is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Also, our reader survey for May is looking for responses! Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas, you can access the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PF6SPPN
Ugh, the path issue again.
I wonder, do they think the improvements proposed for Herrlinger park are enough that it will increase the bike/pedestrian traffic to the point that they NEED a dedicated path? I just feel like this is a misplaced path to nowhere.
Other areas in the community are much less connected and are less safe to walk or ride a bike (like the west side of town). IDK, I feel like this is a waste of money and resources.
I randomly glanced down Crawford street today and it occurred to me that something that street could sure use is for the power lines to be buried. Sheesh, the whole east curb lawn looks like an electrical substation.