Perrysburg advances plan to streamline intersections

4/21/2005

Perrysburg City Council has decided to advance a construction project near a cemetery.

Council voted Tuesday to go ahead with planned construction at the intersections of Findlay Street with Cherry Street and Indiana Avenue after discussing recommendations from the Ohio Department of Transportation on how to deal with archaeological issues at the site.

The city is planning to merge the three streets into a single intersection.

The project is estimated to cost $337,500, with federal money covering about 80 percent of the cost and Perrysburg funding the rest.

Officials said there is an old cemetery near the intersection, but city administrators said digging will occur more than 50 feet from the cemetery's boundaries.

To make sure no historic artifacts are disturbed, ODOT wants the city to have an archaeological expert on the site whenever digging occurs.

The expert likely would be paid between $80 and $100 an hour, officials said.

Council voted 6-1 to accept the state's recommendations and proceed with the project, with Councilman Maria Ermie dissenting.

Some audience members were not pleased with the decision.

"I'm having problems with the fact that we're treating a cemetery with such disrespect," resident Diane Friess said.