Athens City Council members discussed an Ohio Department of Transportation grant at the Monday night committee meeting that would allow the City of Athens to improve several streets.
The grant would allow for the improvement of several streets that cross Court Street. It would improve sidewalk safety features such as curb height and crosswalks.
The grant would also make improvements to the streets for other modes of transportation by possibly adding bus stops and bike lanes.
The improvements would be made to East Union, Washington, East State and Mill Streets.
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson said the grant would also allow the city to repaint "perfectly good lampposts" instead of completely replacing them.
Patterson said although the grant would not allow for many improvements, it would give the city an opportunity to use its street improvements fund for other projects, such as improvements to College Street.
Council members also discussed signing a mutual aid agreement with other cities.
The Ohio Water Wastewater Agency Response Network is a program that, if signed, would allow the City of Athens to offer aid to other cities and communities who also sign the agreement.
“If there’s a catastrophe … this (agreement) would allow us to either receive personnel, equipment or supplies or offer to other communities that are struggling with said event or emergency,” Athens City Councilman Kent Butler, D-1st Ward, said.
Patterson said the city has worked with the network in the past, but if an ordinance approving it passes, city council would officially codify an agreement with the program.
In the case that Athens needs assistance from the agreement or helps another community, the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration would kick in and cover the cost, Patterson said.
“We would be reimbursed for any assistance that we needed or anything that we had to put in for another municipality,” Patterson said.
