Powell City Council approved a deal with Liberty Township and Delaware County to reconstruct Carriage Road, setting up the city's first roundabout.

Council passed Resolution 2026-52 on Sept. 15, authorizing City Manager Andrew White to enter a cooperative agreement to seek funding from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) for the Carriage Road Improvements Project. The reconstruction stretches nearly 5,660 feet from Liberty Road to Wren Way, with about 880 feet falling inside Powell's city limits.

Powell's share of the $42,000 project is $10,500. Delaware County's Road Grant Assistance Program (RGAP) would cover the remaining $31,500, matching Powell's contribution at a 3-to-1 ratio.

The reconstruction will prepare the corridor for a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Carriage Road and Liberty Road. The Sept. 15 agreement does not authorize the roundabout itself, which remains in the planning stage.

If built, it would be Powell's first roundabout.

The roundabout has been planned since at least 2019. That year, council approved two ordinances requiring developers near the intersection to reserve right-of-way for a future roundabout designed by the county engineer. The roundabout is now part of the city's 2027–2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which council also adopted Sept. 15. That five-year plan allocates $423,500 for roundabout design, with design projected for 2027 and construction targeted for 2028.

White called the roundabout "one of the most recommended or requested projects" at the Aug. 11 Finance Committee meeting, when the CIP was first presented. He said the effort would involve Liberty Township, Delaware County Engineers and the schools, making it a strong candidate for state funding.

The section of Carriage Road closest to the proposed roundabout site would be resurfaced rather than fully reconstructed, according to the city, so it can accommodate the future intersection work. A separate cooperative agreement would likely be needed for the roundabout construction itself.

The broader CIP outlines more than $60.5 million in planned capital investments over five years, a 0.7% increase over the previous 2026–2030 plan.

The next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m.