LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The addition of a new sidewalk along Colonial Drive in Liberty Township is ushering in a sense of safety for the residents and for those living at Campus Nursing Home, the path has opened up the world to them.

Before the sidewalk, which connects Belmont Avenue and Logan Way, was completed, there was no way for those in wheelchairs at the nursing home to get to restaurants and stores on Belmont.

“The road's got a lot of traffic and it was very narrow, so there was a need for the sidewalk, especially for people going from the nursing home to Belmont Avenue. You have [to be able to] get to Belmont for places like Kravitz [Deli], Jimmy's [Italian Specialties] and even Walmart,” said nursing home resident Mark Meszaros said at a ribbon cutting celebrating the sidewalk's completion. “It's terrific to get out here and go up to Belmont and have access to everywhere. It's a whole new world of freedom, being out there.”

Meszaros was the first to contact township trustee Jodi Stoyak about adding the path about three years ago.

The sidewalk was mostly funded through federal transportation enhancement funding from the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, which provided $150,000. The remaining 20% of funding was matched by Liberty Township. Engineering and design was provided at no cost by the Trumbull County Engineer.

Doing the engineering and management in-house saved roughly $60,000 according to Gary Shaffer, an engineer with the Trumbull County Engineer.

“We were very excited. Any grant you can get is very helpful to the townships when we have reduced funding all around. We're happy the engineers supported us,” Stoyak said. “This is a county road, so they are responsible for paving it and salting it and this concerned them because it is their road.”

Stoyak added that she has received complaints over the years about people walking in the street, especially at night.

“We didn't want a tragedy. We've had them at other places because of poor lighting and other things, so this is purely a safety issue,” she noted.

Liberty Township administrator Pat Ungaro said the sidewalk completes the neighborhood, making it a much more family-friendly environment.

“It's really nice now because you see kids on bikes, you see families walking and you see wheelchairs up and down the street. From a human point of view, it was a great project,” he said.

Most of the early support for the sidewalk came from the nursing home, Stoyak said, and now, residents have more access to the area than ever before.

“For Mark and other handicapped people in the center, it's way for them to get to a restaurant, go to Walmart and be independent. To have the ability to have independent living skills is a wonderful thing,” she commented.

Meszaros said he uses the sidewalk frequently, making trips to restaurants and going shopping at Walmart.

“It's fantastic,” he said. “There's nothing else I'd want. I'm actually able to go all the way [down to Logan Way and over] to Fifth Avenue and take that all the way down to YSU. It's just terrific.”

Pictured: Jack Simon, Frank Fuda, Mark Meszaros, Pat Ungaro, Jodi Stoyak, Chris Seawood, Michael O'Brien, Randy Smith, Maura Cantalamessa, Gary Shaffer.

Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.