Junior Avenue Intersection, Intermodal Canopy up for Votes by Wheeling City Council
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WHEELING - A busy Elm Grove intersection could see some changes and a new canopy for Intermodal Parking Garage could be in the works depending upon how Wheeling City Council votes tonight.
Members of Wheeling City Council are scheduled to take action on legislation tonight during their first of two regular meetings for the month of April. The meeting is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers on the first floor of the City-County Building on Chapline Street downtown.
Council is scheduled to hear second readings and take votes on two pieces of legislation. One will be to change the traffic flow from Junior Avenue to the five-point intersection at W.Va. 88 (East Bethlehem Boulevard) to a right-turn only.
Officials have noted that this is a very busy intersection - particularly during peak work commute hours and times before and after school, as Bridge Street Middle School is located just to the east of the crossroads.
It is also an oddly configured intersection, as Junior Avenue, East Cove Avenue and Idabelle Avenue all meet around the same point at W.Va. 88 from different angles near Wheeling Fire Station No. 11.
This intersection has become even busier than usual this year, as it provides a detour around the Kruger Street Bridge, which has been closed for maintenance. It will continue to serve as a detour through the end of this year, as the historic bridge at Monument Place on National Road in Elm Grove is also expected to undergo extensive repairs and maintenance work after the Kruger Street Bridge work is completed.
Ward 6 Councilman Dave Palmer, who represents the Elm Grove neighborhood, had eyed a traffic alteration at this intersection from Junior Avenue to W.Va. 88 prohibiting a left turn for safety reasons. Palmer indicated that he would support the legislation as proposed, changing it to a right-turn only.
Another ordinance up for a final vote tonight will be to authorize City Manager Robert Herron to spend $31,190 with JD&E Construction for a new canopy on the Intermodal Parking Garage. This canopy is expected to be installed on the west side of the parking facility along the newly configured Nailers Way between the garage and WesBanco Arena. The canopy will provide cover for patrons utilizing Ohio Valley Regional Transit Authority services at the bus stop.
Herron noted that the pick-up and drop-off zone for OVRTA is expected to remain on the Nailers Way side even after the Downtown Streetscape Project is completed. The bus stop was located on the east side of the garage on Main Street before work on the Streetscape project updated the sidewalks along the west side of the Intermodal Parking Garage.
JD&E Construction was the low bidder for the canopy installation. By comparison, Cattrell Companies submitted a bid of $41,800 for the job.
Among the new pieces of legislation scheduled for a first reading tonight will be an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of $298,900 with CT Consultants of Wheeling for Valley View storm sewer and sanitary sewer improvements.
Herron explained that these are two separate projects that will take place in the same general area. This project will be for construction administration and inspections of these systems, which are among the first that will be part of the city’s sewer and storm sewer upgrades utilizing money from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
In other action tonight, council is expected to hear first readings on seasonal lawn care contracts. An ordinance is being introduced tonight for an agreement with Top Notch Cutting Services from April to September for bi-weekly payments in the amount of up to $7,820 for grass cutting at a number of local cemeteries and at the 16th Street (Elks) Playground. This job was put out to bid, and Top Notch was the only bidder. Another ordinance will authorize the city manager to negotiate terms with Russell Nesbitt Services Inc. of Wheeling for additional lawn care services for 2024.
Also tonight, a new ordinance will authorize the expenditure of $102,975 with Aster Oilfield Services of Bellaire for abatement and demolition of several structures. Those structures set for demolition include 106 S. Penn St., 310 S. Huron St., 3142 McColloch St., 4728 Jacob St., 51 Fink St., 1121 Grandview St., 519 S. Huron St., 3436 Chapline St., 146 Idabelle Ave., 14 Fay Ave. and 40 Peninsula St.
The demolitions will be charged to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Dilapidated Properties Program (DLAP) grant received by the city of Wheeling. Aster Oilfield submitted the low bid for the work. By comparison, Edgco Inc. submitted a bid of $125,000.
Council will also hear a first reading on an ordinance to transfer funds in the amount of $57,847 from the Arena Restricted Capital Improvement Program (RCIP) fund to the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority for a dehumidifier system for WesBanco Arena.