COLUMBIANA, Ohio – A road project will provide a straighter entrance to R&L Carriers’ Heck Road facility, and officials are seeking additional funding to expand the project.
The Ohio Department of Development has requested that the Ohio Controlling Board approve the release of $75,000 to support the Columbiana project.
According to the request, the realigned entrance is needed because of an expansion at R&L Carriers, 1320 Heck Road, which is located in the city’s industrial park.
Nulf Drive comes to an abrupt end before reaching state Route 14. Semitrucks traveling toward state Route 14 are required to make a left turn before curving right to the entrance.
The new entrance would be located 270 feet west of the current entrance and allow improved accessibility.
According to Lance Willard, city manager, the original engineer’s estimate for the project to straighten the Nulf Drive entrance was $398,185. The Department of Development, as recommended by JobsOhio, provided $198,000 toward the project in December 2024, and Columbiana received $140,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Office of Jobs and Commerce funds.
The city would pay $60,000 toward the project, according to Willard.
However, Willard said when Columbiana learned there was still money available through Ohio Department of Development 629 funds, officials spoke to Lake to River Economic Development about adding onto the project. It was determined resurfacing was needed from where the new entrance onto state Route 14 begins, 1,100 linear feet north to Heck Road, due especially to the high volume of trucks traveling on it, according to Willard. Engineering firm Howells and Baird estimated the resurfacing cost at $175,564.
If the Controlling Board approves the release of $75,000, the city will pay $100,000 more to complete that portion of the project.
“It needs done,” Willard said. “So the city’s going to be responsible for $100,000 of that project, plus the $60,000 on the other project, but we’re going to get the project completed from Heck Road down to [state Route] 14.”
According to the project’s request, the project will help retain 480 jobs and create 40 more during construction.
The Controlling Board meets Monday.