×

Dredging finishes in Lowellville

River work part of village revitalization

Crews from Marucci and Gaffney along with Metropolitan Environmental Services guide a barge onto a trailer in Lowellville on Thursday. The barge spent several weeks dredging a portion of the Mahoning River that runs through the village as part of a revitalization project. Dam extraction at the site will start Monday.

LOWELLVILLE — Village officials can cross off another item from their revitalization “to-do” list now that dredging a portion of the Mahoning River is complete.

Village police escorted a crane on Thursday morning and then were used to take a dredging barge from the river and bring it back to shore, just off East Water Street.

Next in the revitalization project is dam extraction, which engineers at the location said will begin Monday. The work is being done to improve the river flow and increase recreational opportunities.

“We’re excited,” said Mayor Jim Iudiciani. “”It’s taken a long time to get here.”

The barge was used in recent weeks to churn residue in the river, which was then pumped into giant balloonlike receptacles.

Iudiciani said the sediment will be taken to a landfill.

Metropolitan Environmental Services of Columbus completed the dredging, with local company Marucci and Gaffney as the contractor.

Monday, crews will begin the process of taking out the dam, which is anticipated to take two to three weeks.

So far, Iudiciani said the project is moving faster than expected.

Today, he is meeting with engineers from CT Consultants to discuss plans for a canoe livery and dock.

That project will go out to bid next month, the mayor said, with the goal of work beginning in October.

The cost of the livery and dock is expected to be about $114,000 and is part of a 50-50 match from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources through a grant, while the dredging and dam removal is $2.3 million, with a large portion coming from grants.

In May, the village purchased 12.8 acres on Water Street for $40,000, which is where the livery will go.

Near the dam, crews from Marucci and Gaffney have cleared overgrown brush from cliffs over the last several weeks. The sandstone that has been exposed will be preserved and incorporated into designs.

Wanting to use the area for learning opportunities, the village mayor hopes to invite college students to examine the rock.

“I would like to have the YSU Geology Department come down and study (the sandstone),” Iudiciani said.

Now that changes are coming to fruition after years of planning, Iudiciani said he is looking forward to see what happens next.

“We’re excited. It’s taken a long time to get here,” he noted. “Better stuff is coming.”

afox@tribtoday.com

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today