SHELBY — A major reconstruction of Shelby’s Mickey Road is set to begin in fall 2027.
The project will bring major upgrades to the frequently traveled roadway, including the installation of storm sewers, underdrains, curbs, gutters, drive apron and new pavement.
That list now includes the installation of a sidewalk stretching from the parking lot of Shelby Reservoir 2 (Mullins Drive) to Mansfield Avenue.
Joe Gies, the city’s project coordinator, recently announced Shelby was awarded an $882,000 grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program.
The grant will help fund the sidewalk installation, along with a $98,000 contribution from the city, Gies said. It will be installed during the reconstruction project, which begins during fall 2027 and is estimated to conclude in summer 2028.
The total cost of the reconstruction project is estimated to be about $3.8 million. Twenty percent of the rebuild, $762,000, will be paid by the city.
Remaining costs, slightly more than $3 million, will be paid by federal highway funds — awarded to the city by the Richland County Regional Planning Commission.
PREVIOUS REPORTING ON MICKEY ROAD REBUILD
During the design phase of the project, a fatal hit-skip crash on Mickey Road, near Martin Drive, claimed the life of 61-year-old Barbara Warner, of Shelby, in November 2024.
“We worked with our consulting engineer and ODOT and there was a safety grant that was available, so we applied for that,” Gies said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the full list of grant recipients back on Jan. 12, with $97.2 million in funding being awarded across 39 transportation projects in 27 counties statewide.
Projects will be funded in state fiscal years 2026 through 2031, according to the release. Ohio’s Highway Safety Improvement Program addresses road locations with a history of fatal or injury crashes where other safety improvements have not been effective.
“These projects represent a strategic, data-driven approach to reducing deadly and serious injury crashes on Ohio roadways,” said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn.
“By combining proven safety countermeasures with proactive improvements, we are investing in solutions that save lives and reduce the risk of crashes before they happen.”