CONNEAUT – Conneaut City Council has been attempting to get at least a portion of Conneaut’s dirt roads paved per year over the last several years.
As it was planning for the 2026 paving program, council believed it had a plan in place to pave all of South Ridge Road East. However, when the bids came in, an accounting error by the paving company forced council to shorten the scope of the project.
As the project began, it was determined that South Ridge East would be paved from State Route 7 to Middle Road much to the dismay of council.
At a reminder from Ward 1 Councilman Rick Gaugh, who was in disbelief that City Manager Nick Sanford had neglected to deliver a bit of good news, Sanford told council during a work session on Monday, Oct. 5, the city could now complete the original scope of the project.
“We did receive word that with a little additional investment, the repurposing of an open purchase order for stone material, we can finish the paving of South Ridge Road East all the way to Furnace Road and we’ll be done,” Sanford said.
Sanford credited the Public Works Department, Sewage Treatment Plant Supervisor Brian Bidwell and former city employee Lance Drew for the cost savings that allowed for the completion of the project.
“The good news is that the initial blowback from a quantity miscalculation reduced the scope to take us from State Route 7 to Middle Road (can be avoided),” Sanford said. “As a result of the county engineer coming out and conferencing with everybody and saying, ‘I know everybody likes to say that there’s not enough crown on all of our roads, but the reality is that you have too much crown on these roads.’”
“We were able to stretch this product out adequately and right size the product to make it work,” Sanford continued. “That’s exactly what we did. We’re very happy with that. I was very pleased to hear that news today.”
Ward 2 Councilman Chris Castrilla said he was out in that direction and it looks good.
“They’ve done an absolutely tremendous job,” Sanford said.
Gaugh said that the cold mix asphalt that is being used is hard to work with.
“Those guys have got to do a lot of shoveling and pushing,” Gaugh said. “When you see a city employee, thank them.”
