MOUNT VERNON — Interim City Engineer Quentin Platt recently provided an update on demolition work tied to relocating State Route 13 along South Sandusky Street.
The project is roughly half complete. Crews removed two buried building foundations and demolished structures on the east side of Sandusky Street between Gambier and Vine streets. Buildings include 300 W. Vine St., Water Wall Treasures and a house near West Gambier Street.
Crews are expected to demolish the remaining buildings — including the AMVETS building, a former Quick Lube and Dominos— by the first week of September.
Platt said the Ohio Department of Transportation opened bids for the project and still plans to begin construction, or at least mobilize equipment, on Oct. 1.
No road closures or traffic detours are planned this year, as all 2026 work will take place outside the existing right of way. One possible exception is Phillips Drive, which is expected to be decommissioned as part of the project.
Brick paving on W. Hamtramck to resume soon
Platt said reconstruction of Hamtramck Street is largely complete on the concrete side, with bases, sidewalks and curb and gutter poured except for curb ramps at North and South Sandusky street and North Main Street. He expects brick paving on West Hamtramck Street to resume soon.
Crews wrapped up utility work on Burgess Street; the lines are being camera-inspected before concrete and brick work resumes in late August.
“We were hoping to have everything wrapped up this month, but because of weather delays and because of the weather we’ve had recently, we’re extending the project out potentially into early next year,” Platt said. “So, there could be some minor sort of punch list items that don’t get completed before the onset of winter.”
The Knox Cattle Company dam project is nearing completion, with about a foot of material left to install in the causeway. Wet conditions slowed compaction work, but the project is expected to be finished by the end of the month if weather cooperates.
Bringing streets and traffic signals into compliance
Public Works Director Tom Hinkle reported the street department is installing new wiring and supplemental utility poles to bring the city’s pedestrian crossing signals into compliance with federal accessibility standards.
The new poles will allow workers to place crossing buttons within the proper proximity of curb ramps. Additionally, workers will relocate some pedestrian signal heads to align with crosswalks.
“Earlier this year, all the ramps were upgraded to meet the new standards for the crosswalks as far as ADA compliancy,” Hinkle said. “Now we’re going to actually start installing the equipment for that.”
Crews are also testing traffic signal conflict monitors, which switch intersections to flashing mode if they detect conflicting signal commands. Drivers may notice intersections briefly flashing during testing before they return to normal operation.
Rain adds to stormwater and road work
Crews have been responding to stormwater issues driven by heavy rain in addition to planned projects, Hinkle said. Work includes replacing stormwater tile, a culvert, piping and catch basins on North Mulberry Street and addressing runoff in a ditch on Eastgate.
It also includes reinforcing the shoulder on Park Road with larger stone after water erosion damaged the roadside ditch.
The department also coordinated detours for the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival, a task complicated this year by ongoing construction projects around the city, Hinkle said.
Alley repairs are underway on Birch and East Gambier streets. He said crews are struggling to keep pace as new erosion problems emerge faster than they can complete existing repairs.
“On Birch Street, we reclaimed an alley that hadn’t been serviced in a while. It kind of turned into green space that we had to pretty much remove some sod and put some stone back in to widen the alley,” Hinkle explained.
“They did some work on an alley on East Gambier Street also to fix that.”
Hinkle said the aggregate alleys have taken a beating this summer with the constant rain washing stone into the street or eroding the alley.
Parks and recreation
Parks crews are conducting routine mowing and maintenance. They also repaired minor damage to playground equipment, including a damaged rock-climbing feature at Harmony Playground, Hinkle said.
The city hosted its Safety Town event Aug. 2 at Ariel-Foundation Park, drawing 68 children in kindergarten through third grade for bicycle and roadway safety instruction.
“That’s a great event that we’re fortunate to coordinate with Mount Vernon Police Department and PAC United and also the Mount Vernon City Schools on,” Recreation Director Jeff Derr said.
Two events are scheduled for Saturday. The city’s Movie in the Park series will show “Grease” at 8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to dress for the occasion and bring their own seating.
The city will hold its rescheduled Kids to Parks Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in partnership with the Knox Fish and Game Club, which will provide fishing poles and bait.
The event will also include an archery activity, PAK United and participation from the police and fire departments.
Cemetery and public buildings
Cemetery crews finished cleanup from a June windstorm that toppled several large trees. It required a crane to remove debris.
The public buildings and lands department began its annual inspection of backflow prevention devices at city facilities.
Utilities
Utilities Director Aaron Reinhart said the wastewater treatment plant upgrade reached the 90% design stage. He anticipates breaking ground on the plant in January 2027.
“At the water treatment plant, we’re moving forward on designs and switching from the chlorine dioxide to the hydrochloride,” Reinhart said.
“In distribution and collections, they’ve been installing meters around town and fixing all the road digs.”
Anyone who has a road dig that has not had attention is encouraged to call the office.
Crews have installed more than 2,900 of a planned 4,000 water meters.
The billing office is transitioning to a new platform, OpenG. Reinhart said it will give customers an online portal similar to those offered by gas and electric utilities.
