Dover news: Schaeffler update, downtown upgrades, construction season
DOVER (October 22, 2024) – It will cost $3.2 million to upgrade the city’s sewer system to accommodate the Schaeffler manufacturing facility and other future growth in the north end of the city. City officials are seeking state and federal funding help.
At Mayor Shane Gunnoe’s request, City Council Monday authorized his application for $1.5 million in federal grant funding and $500,000 in state funding.
Gunnoe says Schaeffler’s $230 million project is tracking in the right direction. He says the company recently closed on the land purchase of the old Streb Farm along Wooster Avenue. Dover and the village of Parral have approved an intergovernmental agreement that is necessary for the public stormwater and roadwork improvements needed near the site.
Company officials had hoped to complete construction by the third quarter of 2025. Schaeffler’s plans call for a 260,000 -square-foot facility to manufacture components for electric vehicles.
Downtown upgrades
City officials have their eyes on bigger downtown renovations after replacing some West Third Street sidewalks this past month.
Crews removed sidewalk hazards and replaced cement at 27 different work areas on West Third Street.
Gunnoe says that’s just the start of what will be a prolonged downtown reinvestment. Upcoming developments include free downtown wi-fi and a total sidewalk and infrastructure replacement down the line. Gunnoe says the city will pursue grants to pay for the projects.
“Consistently, the condition of sidewalks and parking are the number one and number two things that we hear as things that need to be improved, so we’re going start making an effort to tackle both of those issues in the years to come,” Gunnoe said.
Construction season update
The city’s construction season projects are not quite finished. Crews will pave a few more streets this fall, including the section of Wooster Avenue in front of the city park.
Gunnoe says this summer will set the city’s spending record for paving at $1.1 million.
Gunnoe says several more projects are anticipated for next year. That includes a $560,000 traffic signal replacement project for two intersections along Walnut Street downtown and at West Slingluff.
City officials are also planning to install new sidewalks west from downtown to state Route 39. They received at $500,000 grant to do that, but the funds won’t be available until 2026.
East 20th Street bridge
City officials are asking motorists to continue avoiding East 20th Street as bridge replacement continues there.
They say demolition and excavation of the previous bridge is complete. Crews this week are installing concrete sections of the new bridge.
Residents will continue to have access to their homes.