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SALEM--Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey Thursday discussed recently secured funding for a new railroad overpass on South Lincoln Avenue.
Press releases issued Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio announced that a total of $21 million in federal funding had been secured for the project through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program.
In a statement issued Thursday, Dickey said that in addition to the federal funding Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine "had pledged a 20% match from the State of Ohio to make this project a reality."
Dickey said the project was shaped by "the combined efforts of almost every major Republican office holder in the county and the state," and that she had "been blessed with the greatest team of politicians any mayor could dream of having." She credited Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson with beginning that collective effort "decades ago" and never allowing the project to "go to the dust bin."
"Finally, the stars aligned and three Republican commissioners took office. Roy Paparodis, Mike Halleck and Tim Ginter agreed to add significant county money toward this overpass. State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdell, state Sen. Al Cutrona and county Chairman David Johnson started pushing the project with their authority and contacts. The city council voted to allow Joe Cappuzzello and I to formally submit this project for funding at the federal level, and Jon Husted and Michael Rulli fought for Salem," Dickey said.
Dickey said that the railroad crossing on South Lincoln "has been not only an annoyance, but a danger to the safety of every person who crossed those tracks" for decades, echoing concerns she raised in the Feb. 3 meeting of the city council where council gave permission to submit the RCE grant, committing Salem to an even split of the $500,000 local match requirement with the county in the process. She also reiterated concerns that the crossing causes frequent traffic jams on a major traffic corridor and that many residents must cross the tracks on foot daily, risking potentially serious accidents.
"With 40 to 60 trains running over this crossing daily, traffic backs up past our largest business slowing their workers and transports and causes traffic to clump up bumper to bumper all the way into Salem's downtown, several times per day. This site has many pedestrians crossing daily also. This crossing has been the site of at least one fatality to my knowledge," Dickey said.
Dickey said that the overpass would "make the entry into Salem, not just more pleasing to the eye, but safer for vehicles and foot traffic" by facilitating "smoother traffic flow through one of Salem's most beautiful neighborhoods and into our historic downtown." She also noted that the overpass would "allow faster access for our Safety forces to protect those who live and work South of the tracks, and faster ambulance runs to [the Salem Regional Medical Center]."
"I am so proud of the team effort put forth [by] everyone to get this project funded. It re-enforces my belief that when we all work together, great things will happen in Salem and in Ohio. Thank you, Senator Husted, Michael Rulli, Mike Dewine and everyone for working for Salem," Dickey said.