Interchange beautification moves forward

Van Wert independent/submitted information

The U.S. 127/224 interchange on westbound U.S. 30 has a new look.

Phase 1 of the County Gateway Landscaping Program that was started last fall through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) made impressive strides this weekend to provide a beacon to traffic on U.S. 30 that will help draw attention to Van Wert.

“There are many grants available throughout the grant database nationwide that focus on gateway projects,” said County Economic Development Director Sarah Smith. “Recognizing the importance of a community identifying itself at its ‘gateway’ is essential in an environment where communities are competing for talent and striving to set the bar high to be recognized as a place where people want to live and work.

“It also welcomes people to a community, allowing it to say ‘here we are,’  which, with the growing traffic count on U.S. 30, is a huge asset we can utilize to try and convince some of that traffic into exiting here, grabbing a bite to eat or filling with gas, and even staying a while. Maybe, if they like it enough, they might even bring their family or business here.”

The idea began with Smith’s husband, who was making a daily commute on Interstate 75 to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton and saw that cities like Troy and Sidney had a presence on I-75.

In the opposite direction, many Van Wert residents are familiar with the Findlay exit on I-75, which was awarded a similar $20,000 ODOT grant in 2007 through the Hancock Regional Planning Commission. The goal was to replicate the same concept on U.S. 30 and make Van Wert to stand out to passersby.

Unfortunately, the money awarded by ODOT only covers materials, not design and labor, so the process began by asking for local landscaping volunteers to donate time to help with the design. Sam Laurent of Van Wert (Laurent’s Landscaping) and Clint Gable of Delphos (Elite Naturescapes) helped assist with the planning that initially included both sides of the interchange at U.S. 30/US 127; however, the project total exceeded the maximum grant amount of $25,000, resulting in having to cut the project in half.

Ideally, if the project goes well and ODOT money or a similar program is available, the south side will be completed in the next fiscal round. The north side was chosen because it’s the side people see as they come into Van Wert off the exit ramp.

Elite Naturescapes was able to fulfill the ODOT bid and is providing the majority of materials, while the site preparation and labor has been all volunteer, with well over 100 hours of volunteer work provided at the interchange on weekends and in the evenings after work to make it happen.

The project hasn’t been helped, though, by all the rain received, which has affected the project’s timeline.

Lots of work remains to be done, Smith noted. Spring will see installation of a flowerbed parallel to U.S. 127 on the west portion of the interchange to color and presence on Route 127, while all of the dead and dying trees were removed in the interchange (thanks to Shannon Smith of Smith’s Stump Removal).

Future plans are to move the trees into a pattern (hopefully a “VW”) to provide a recognizable aerial view in a Google Earth shot or for someone flying over (if the 30-by-30-foot logo mound isn’t noticeable enough for a small aircraft flying over.

The creek that runs through the interchange area will be dipped and lined with river rock, giving a clean, dry riverbed look and eliminating the cattails and weeds that are more difficult to control.

Finally, there will be flowering trees placed along the interchange to provide a splash of color in different seasons and inviting motorists into Van Wert for the many festivals and events throughout the year.

The logo mound that includes the Van Wert County logo is a design that can be replicated, and possibly placed at all county interchanges.

“It would be an option to play with the color scheme and possibly replicate it in red and black outside Delphos Jefferson, yellow and blue at the Middle Point exit (and) red-white-and blue going into Convoy,” Smith added.

“The goal of the project is to mark Van Wert County, letting people know when they are here, if the windmills don’t do it already,” Smith said. “But we also had to consider the maintenance of the project.”

The design is planned as low maintenance, suggesting flowers and plants that require little pruning, making the logo design something that can be mowed easier and selecting the river rock creek bed to keep that clean, groomed look year round.

County officials especially thanked Mitch Kraner and county employees Tim Mengerink and Kyle Gehres, who all donated time on their off hours to help make the project possible.

Companies looking to sponsor the interchange or help with the next interchange can call the Van Wert County Economic Development Office at 419.238.6159. Mowing will start in the spring and local involvement is sought in the maintenance of the interchange, which Smith said not only provides for a sense of pride and ownership toward Van Wert County, but can serve as advertising as well.