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No matter where you go, you will almost always find people who are more than willing to talk about things that are happening across the area.
A lot of that conversation seems to gravitate toward what might have gone wrong, and there are plenty of opinions shared about what needs to be done to improve the region.
It's easy to find reasons to be critical. And, yes, there are a lot of concerns that need to be addressed. From aging infrastructure to a demographics that tend to skew toward the older end of the scale, there always will be room for improvement.
But before you allow yourself to get involved with the negative talk, it's a good idea to look at the projects that have been completed, are under way or that we can expect to see come to fruition in the next year or so. If you do that, you can see that there are improvements being made -- in our infrastructure, to our businesses and across the community in general.
Among the most visible projects has been the repaving that has been done along Sunset Boulevard, between Welday Avenue and Efts Lane, in Steubenville. It's been 15 years since the road was last resurfaced, and everyone whose daily commute includes that portion of road or whose travels have included any stretch of it can probably agree that it has been long overdue.
According to City Engineer Mike Dolak, the stretch of Sunset near John Scott Highway carries between 15,000 and 18,000 vehicles a day, and when you get closer to the Lovers Lane intersection, those numbers grow to between 20,000 and 22,000 vehicles a day.
All of that traffic and the extremes of weather the Tri-State Area experiences during the course of several years can exact a big toll from the surface. If you add in the cuts that have been made to make repairs on waterlines and other utilities and just general wear and tear, it's work that was much needed -- and much appreciated.
If you have had to travel through the West End in the evening when the work has been being done, you've likely encountered numerous lane closures, changes in traffic patterns and slowdowns, but the new surface represents an improvement that will make travel through that area better for many years.
That work represents an improvement that cost $1.7 million, a total that was covered by federal funds provided through the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission and state funding.
Another important infrastructure project in the city is expected to be finished later this year. That's when the city expects to complete its water system upgrade. That project, which includes a new water tower at the intersection of Lovers Lane and Coal Hill Road, will give the city more options when faced with major water line failures, and likely will help to mitigate problems like the one that effectively forced water to be shut off in the downtown area for several days in 2018.
As a bonus, because the work to extend the city's water line to the new tank caused a major portion of Lincoln Avenue to be torn up, that portion of the street has been repaved.
It's an improvement that represents a $15.4 million investment in the community.
In June alone, there were announcements about a couple of projects that should make a big impact on the region.
On June 5, the Franciscan University of Steubenville unveiled plans for the next phase of expansion at Franciscan Square, and on June 26, ground was broken for the Indian Creek Community Innovation Center.
Five new restaurants will find local homes in the two-story, 8,700-square-foot building that is being built at the square complex. It will sit at the east end, between the existing development and the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Those new restaurants -- Scooter's Coffee, Jamba, Auntie Anne's, Cinnabon and Buffalo Wild Wings Go -- will join the Inn at Franciscan Square and existing businesses McCarthy's Harp and Habit, Rubi's Pizza and Grille, Jimmy John's and the Illumination Financial Group at the complex.
It's another example of the economic impact the university has on the Steubenville area, on and off the campus. That number, according to Phil Rook, director of real estate development and operations at the university, is $400 million.
In addition to the continued development along University Boulevard, the school continues to play an active role in the community. The Rink at Franciscan Square, which operates between November and February, attracted more than 100,000 visitors last season. That same space continues to be used as an area for the community to gather during the warmer months and hosted an event that was part of this year's Dean Martin Hometown Festival.
If all goes as anticipated, all of the new businesses are expected to be operating by this time next year.
Mingo Junction, meanwhile, will be the site for the Indian Creek center. The 14,000-square-foot, single-story building will sit next to the district's middle school, and will include a walk-in clinic that will offer express care services through West Virginia University Medicine and a satellite office of the Jefferson County Community Action Council. The services will help students at the school and members of the community.
The facility is being funded with a $6.5 million Appalachian Community Innovation Center grant that was awarded by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.
Motorists who drive through Wintersville, meanwhile, can expect to see improvements along Cadiz Road in the coming year. The village received a $1.9 million Ohio Public Works Small Government grant that will allow it to repave the road from the intersection with state Route 43 to Park Drive. It's a project that will include the replacement of a mile-long waterline, 10 fire hydrants, catch basins and school zone lights near Indian Creek High School.
A separate $440,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation, which was secured through BHJ, will allow for the installation of a handicap-accessible sidewalk along the road. That grant requires a $40,000 match from the village.
There are many other examples of significant investments being made across the region. On July 25, Kroger cut the ribbon to officially unveil the $1.8 million in renovations it made at the store in the Hollywood City Center. Monday saw the opening of the Starbuck's location at the Tri-State Plaza and the finishing touches are being made at the Chipotle Mexican Grill that sits in the lot in front of Lowe's.
And that's in addition to the other shops that are opening and improvement projects being done in towns and villages and at numerous businesses across the region.
While it's easy to complain about everything under the sun, remember this: Elected officials and local business leaders continue to step up and make investments throughout the Tri-State Area. It's up to local residents to prove that those dollars have been spent wisely.
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)