ELYRIA — Lorain County commissioners on Friday approved a $3.17 million engineering amendment tied to the Quarry Road Sanitary Trunk Sewer Extension, also referred to as the Northwest Lorain County Sanitary Sewer.
The board approved Amendment No. 1 to the consulting services agreement with K.E. McCartney & Associates in an amount not to exceed $3,179,200, to be paid from the Sanitary Engineer Professional Services account.
What commissioners voted on
The action approved Friday funds professional engineering services connected to the trunk sewer extension. Commissioners discussed it as a planning and engineering step that leads to bid-ready construction documents. It was not presented as a vote to begin construction that day.
Where the sewer line would run
Commissioners displayed a “Northwest Sanitary Trunk Sewer Map” during the discussion. In broad terms, the alignment shown on the map tracks through the northwest part of Lorain County in a north to south corridor, focused near Vermilion and Brownhelm Township.
Several sources familiar with the project said the segment discussed is believed to be in the area between Sunnyside Road and Claus Road. The map shown at the meeting appeared consistent with that general location.
This is an approximation based on the presentation map and follow-up reporting, not a final surveyed route or easement map.
Moore’s timeline for next steps
Commissioner Dave Moore said the work being approved covers “civil engineering and construction documents.”
“This is basically civil engineering and construction documents that will go out to bid in about a year,” Moore said. “This will take about 12 months to get that information.”
Moore said that once the engineering work is completed, commissioners would vote on going out to bid, a process he estimated at roughly 60 days. After that, he said the project could have “shovels in the ground,” potentially around May 2027, depending on when documents are completed and bids are awarded.
A longer timeline tied to wastewater planning
Moore also outlined a longer planning horizon connected to wastewater treatment infrastructure. He said that while trunk sewer construction could begin earlier, development of a wastewater treatment plant could take several more years.
Moore said that process could extend into 2029 and potentially as far out as 2032.
Riddell’s remarks on water quality and compliance
Commissioner Jeff Riddell spoke later in the discussion and framed the project as more than economic development.
“I’d like to also reiterate that part of our job is to look forward and to protect the citizens and taxpayers of things that we see coming,” Riddell said.
Riddell linked the project to long-term water quality goals and compliance, referencing H2Ohio and Lake Erie protection. He closed that section by saying, “At the end of the day, we’re the benefactors of that protection.”
Moore’s closing message on keeping families in Lorain County
Near the end of the discussion, Moore described the project as part of a broader effort to keep young people from leaving the area.
“Everybody has told me for 20 years, ‘What are you going to do to stop our kids and grandkids from leaving this county?’” Moore said. “This does that.”
What happens next
Commissioners described the approved amendment as a professional-services step tied to engineering and construction document preparation. Future votes would be needed for bidding and construction decisions.
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