TIGHT SPACE — Motorists travel along a tight portion of Lovers Lane near Sunset Boulevard in Steubenville, Sunday. The Lovers Lane upgrade project is heading into Phase 3 as city officials move ahead with widening the lanes along a stretch of the road from Princeton Avenue to the roundabout at Fort Steuben Drive. -- Michael D. McElwain

STEUBENVILLE — The Lovers Lane upgrade is moving into Phase 3, with city officials preparing for right-of-way acquisition along a .35-mile stretch of roadway from Princeton Avenue to Fort Steuben Drive.

City Engineer Mike Dolak said they’re also seeking public input on the project, which will involve widening the lanes to 12 feet, installing new sidewalks, curb, and curb ramps as well as storm sewer improvements on portions of East Carlton Road and Teresa Drive as well and Lovers Lane.

Dolak said the city will need to obtain permanent right-of-way as well as temporary easements for the work.

“This is the third phase,” he said. “Phase 1, the roundabout, was finished in 2017 and Phase II, widening the intersection of Lovers Lane and Sunset Boulevard, was finished in 2019. This is the third phase, the largest phase so far.”

He said design work began in April.

“Since the mid- to late-1970s, there’s always been a push to widen Lovers Lane,” Dolak said. “The road isn’t built to current standards, the lanes are only 9 feet wide — we’re going to widen them to 12 feet. It’s a substandard road in today’s world, we’re trying to alleviate accidents and possibly be a safety upgrade as well.”

The current roadway cannot efficiently handle current and projected traffic volumes. The project will widen narrow lanes and enlarge tight turning radii while addressing sensitive residential concerns, he said. The project also will provide sidewalks on the west side of Lovers Lane to facilitate pedestrian traffic. Construction is slated to get underway after March 1, 2024, he added.

Dolak figures about 42 properties might be involved. He said securing the necessary right-of-way and easements could easily take between 12 and 18 months.

“It will take a long time to develop, that’s all,” he said. “Just the front of the parcels (will be involved). On a lot of them we will not need any property (acquisition), just temporary easements.”

For now, he said the city is seeking public input on the project. He said they’ll also send formal letters to owners of all the properties within the project limits.

“They’re considered project stakeholders,” he said.

Residents can raise concerns about any aspect of the project, including its effect on local residents, air quality, the local economy, floodplains and historic or cultural resources. Dolak said those comments should be submitted by April 14 to ensure they are part of the pre-planning process.

Residents should be aware that at this stage in project development, it will not be possible to provide anyone with specific information regarding potential real estate acquisition, the city said in a release issued earlier this week.

“If right-of-way acquisition is necessary from your property, a representative working for the city will contact you directly at a later date to discuss the right-of-way needs, the acquisition process, and your rights under that process,” the letter noted.

“From curb-to-curb, the road is about 19 feet wide now,” he said. “We’ll be making it 24 feet wide.”

Dolak said it’s anybody’s guess if there will be additional phases added down the road.

“(That) hasn’t been discussed, but it’s possible the project could continue,” he said. “If there were to be a Phase 4, it would run from the roundabout to Sinclair Avenue.”

The federal highway administration, Ohio Public Works Commission and city teamed up to fund Phases 1 and 2, he said.

Construction costs alone for Phase 3 are estimated at around $2.5 million, he said. By comparison, construction costs for Phase 1, the roundabout, came in at around $1.4 million, and Phase 2, the widening and reconfiguration of the Lovers Lane and Sunset Boulevard intersection, at around $2.2 million.

Those numbers don’t include right-of-way acquisition, design or construction expenses, he said.