City of Urbana Infrastructure Improvements

Below is a list of recent, current and/or upcoming projects on the engineering docket; please contact the City Engineer at 937-652-4324 if there are any questions or concerns about these.

In 2017 the City of Urbana invested in a third-party study by Midwest Pavement Analysis and Design, LLC of every block of pavement within Urbana.  This study was updated in late 2021.  These blocks were each assigned a PCR (Pavement Condition Rating, 0-100 scale with 100 being a perfect pavement with no observable distress) by a person trained in that system.  Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) uses the PCR system to suggest treatments and schedules for their roads.  This list will assist in choosing streets to maintain or repave and corresponds to the streets where sidewalk, curb and gutter maintenance will be enforced if present. Access the PCRs here.  Streets being considered for paving in the next 5 years include at least portions of:

• Abbey Lane
• Boyce Street
• Cambridge Drive
• Camelot Drive
• Central Avenue
• College Street
• College Way
• Eichelberger Drive
• Grimes Avenue
• Grimes Circle 
• Henry Street
• Hovey Street
• Madison Avenue
• Maple Street
• Muzzy Road
• New Haven Drive
• North Edgewood Avenue
• North Kenton Street
• North Locust Street
• North Walnut Street
• Oak Street
• Old Farm Road
• Parkway Boulevard
• Pine Tree Drive
• Pro Circle
• Sara Street
• South Locust Street
• South Russell Street
• South Walnut Street
• West Broadway Street 
  
• West Reynolds Street
• West Ward Street
• West Water Street
• Windsor Avenue

Also, the following state or U.S. routes are planned:​​

• ​North Main Street from Washington Avenue north (US 68) (2025)
• Lewis B. Moore Drive (SR 55) (2026)
• North Oakland Street (SR 29) (2027)

2025 Project Agenda
The City of Urbana has or will undertake the following projects in 2025:

1. West Court Street Bridge Replacement – Funding through ODOT was obtained in 2021 for the W. Court Street Bridge Replacement project.  The project will replace a 100-year-old-plus, buried structure with new 96” piping.  This bridge is currently posted for 45% legal load.  It is enclosed on both sides, lying halfway between N. Russell Street and N. High Street, making it hard to distinguish from the top side.  Once bids are open in March of 2025, the selected contractor will have until August 29, 2025 for completion of the project.
2. Urbana Bike Trail Safety Improvements – The City obtained grant funding through ODOT starting in 2022 for the design and construction of two improved bike trail crossings.  The affected crossings are the Miami Street and N. Main Street intersections with the Simon Kenton Trail.  The objective on Miami Street will be to add Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the crosswalks like we have downtown while the objective at N. Main is to add the same, move the trail crossing further north away from the railroad, reduce the crossing distance, eliminate the first block of Laurel Oak Street and shift Fyffe Street northward away from the tracks.  Once bids are open in late-February of 2025, the selected contractor will have until August 29, 2025 for completion of the project ahead of the ODOT Urban Resurfacing of N. Main Street.
3. Park Avenue Storm Sewer Project – The City submitted an OPWC grant application in July 2024 for the Park Avenue Storm Sewer Project, which would extend a storm main from the Park Avenue/Windsor Avenue intersection down the median of Park Avenue to the intersection of Park Avenue/S. Kenton Street.  This would accomplish three things: 1) help the intersection drain with the addition of catch basins; 2) reduce runoff inundating the Henry Street/S. Kenton Street intersection; and 3) prepare a stormwater outlet for possible future extensions.  If awarded, the grant would assist in making these improvements in late 2025 or early 2026.
4. Municipal Building (E. Market Street) Concrete Improvements – The E. Market Street Municipal Building frontage will have a concrete facelift in 2025.  Work will include new walks, curbs and aprons from S. Main Street through the driveway for the Box 13 building.  The Fire Department aprons are included and will be removed and replaced as part of this project.  Bollards will be added along the front of the E. Market Street pull-in parking spots for added safety.  Bid advertisements will go out sometime in February 2025 with work anticipated for Spring/Summer 2025.
5. The Sidewalk, Curb and Gutter Program for 2025 is planned for at least portions of Abbey Lane, W. Water Street, S. Walnut Street, Hovey Street, Eichelberger Drive and five other single locations that are missing walks or curbs.  The City plans to do piecemeal curb and sidewalk replacement on these streets, with much of the work started in 2024 by private contractors on behalf of the owners.  In addition, wholesale curb and gutter replacement alongside piecemeal sidewalk replacement is planned for N. Main Street from Gwynne Street/Washington Avenue to Dellinger Road.  This concrete program is in anticipation of the City and ODOT paving programs for the year and is paid back via abutting property owner assessments along the routes.
6. The 2025 Asphalt Paving outlook will include at minimum portions of the following streets: Abbey Lane, S. Russell Street, W. Water Street, S. Walnut Street, College Street, Hovey Street, Eichelberger Drive and W. Broadway Street.  ODOT Urban Resurfacing is planned for the second half of 2025 on N. Main Street (US 68) from Gwynne Street/Washington Avenue to the northern corporation limits.  ODOT has extended this project to include the rest of US 68 up to the Champaign/Logan County line as well.

  
2026 and on Project Agenda

1. US 36 Signals (Traffic Signal Improvements Phase 1) – Urbana was awarded a construction grant in 2024 through ODOT for the replacement of seven (7) signals along US 36 and one (1) signal on SR 54.  The project is expected to be constructed in 2028.  An additional ODOT grant application was made in late-2024, specifically for the pedestrian features of the signal replacements as well a new sidewalk and crossing at the US 36/SR 29 split near the hospital.
2. The City will continue to initiate spot repairs of sidewalk, curb and gutter prior to paving.  It will also focus wholesale curb and gutter replacement programs on arterial streets (red and green) followed by collector streets (purple and yellow). See the functional class map here.