Ashland County approves engineering work for $3 million roundabout at Main and Banny

Ashland County commissioners voted to authorize the county engineer to begin design work on a proposed $3,000,000 roundabout at the intersection of County Road 1356 (West Main) and County Road 1153 (Banny Road).

Ed Meichner, Ashland County engineer, told commissioners the intersection has produced the most complaints and the highest accident rate on the county system. Meichner said the most recent study (2025), along with earlier work from 2015 and 2021, recommended a roundabout to reduce collisions. “A $3,000,000 project,” Meichner said, describing an estimated split of roughly $2.1 million for construction and about $900,000 for engineering, environmental work and right-of-way purchases.

Why it matters: Meichner said the county was successful in a grant application that would leave the county responsible for roughly a 10% local match on the estimated cost. “The federal government, which will pay 80%, state of Ohio is gonna throw in another 10% in their highway safety funds, and then that would just leave our local 10% match,” Meichner said. Based on the estimates presented, Meichner told the board the local share would be about $300,000.

Meichner said preliminary design and other early work must be completed before the county can seek construction funding. He cautioned commissioners that the grant money is not available until fiscal year 2029 (which he said corresponds to June 2028 in the grant calendar); approving the agreement now allows design to proceed so the project can be ready for construction when funds are released.

Commissioners noted recent and planned development near the intersection — an industrial park and at least two residential developments — as a factor increasing both traffic and the urgency of safety improvements. The board voted to enter a contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation to install the roundabout after Meichner’s presentation.

Next steps: The county will proceed with engineering and environmental studies, prepare right-of-way purchases as needed and position the project for construction when the grant funding becomes available.