VERMILION, Ohio. — A Vermilion city council member said funding shortfalls are leaving streets like Idle View Drive in disrepair, with the city currently holding just $2 million for street repairs — a fraction of what is needed.
Donald Helbig has lived on Idle View Drive since 2007 and said the street has been in disrepair the entire time.
"It's got holes. It's unkept. Like meteors hit it," he said. "All up and down. It destroys vehicles. It is not smooth."
Helbig calls Idle View Drive the "lunar landscape" because of its rough driving surface. He said the sidewalks along the residential street have never been repaired, and residents have dealt with several water main breaks. The city has only patched the road since he moved in, Helbig said.
He has invited several city council members to view the condition of the road. While some have accepted his invitation, Helbig said nothing has changed. He is concerned the city of Vermilion is not paying attention to local infrastructure.
"I would like to know why these streets aren't being fixed and if they have a plan?" Helbig said.
Hunt took Helbig's questions to Vermilion City Council members. Council Member Homer Taft responded by email.
Taft said the city recently completed street inspections that revealed about 50 percent of Vermilion's streets are in poor condition. He said part of the reason streets like Idle View Drive are being overlooked is money. The city currently has $2 million for street repairs and maintenance, but Taft said it would take double or triple that amount to properly repair all of Vermilion's streets.
Taft said the city is currently designing and repairing some of the worst streets and will continue to find more ways to increase funding for street repairs.
He did not provide a specific timeline for when Idle View Drive might be repaired.
If you live on a bumpy road or have a question about street repairs, you can reach Caitlin Hunt at caitlin.hunt@wews.com.
