As the New Year starts, the City of Ironton continues to work and partner on projects that will benefit our community well into the future.

Although several projects have been ongoing such as the construction of the new bridge, the development of the Ninth Street area with the building of a hotel and restaurant, the manhole rehab project as mandated by the environmental protection agency, are just a few good things going on in the city.

We also have been working on projects for quite some time that will soon be under construction.

Currently we are working on the bike/walking trails project starting from Center Street Landing area beside the floodwall on the riverside and then on top of the floodwall down Second Street to Storms Creek.

The path will cross Second Street and end at the old marina area. The first phase which construction will begin as soon as the asphalt plants open, will encompass the area beginning at Second Street and ending at a trail head where the old marina was located.

The entire project will coincide with the renovation of the riverfront including the marina boat launch project.

We have secured approximately $830,000 for the transient boating dock facility through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Division and administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, otherwise known as the “Big P” grant.

Conceptual drawings have been made and conversations with several boat dock manufacturing companies are ongoing. We are also applying for three additional grants to enhance the area such as the Nature works grant through ODNR for a pocket park located at the point of the Second Street bridge crossing Storms Creek facing the river.

The Clean Vessel Act, which will be used for the purchase of the pump out station equipment for the transient boating dock and the ODNR Cooperative Boating Facility Grant, which is for the replacement of the boat launching ramp.

The development of the riverfront will not end with the trails, marina and boat ramp. This entire development also includes the recently remediated area located just down river from our current riverfront boat ramp.

We are preparing the no further action letter (NFA) to send to the EPA and discussing the possibility of extending our sewer and water system to this area for future development.

All of these projects will take time and effort and will not happen overnight, but we are working diligently to move these projects forward in efforts to beautify our community, offer additional recreational activities and draw more people to our downtown area.

None of these projects would have been feasible if it were not for the grants awarded and pledged matches.

Special thanks go out to the Ironton Port Authority, LEDC, ODNR, Clean Ohio Funds, Clean Ohio Trails Fund, KYOVA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Division for assisting the city with these projects.

 

Rich Blankenship is mayor of Ironton. He can be reached at 740-532-3833 or mayor@ironton-ohio.com.