Wyoming, known for its walkable streets and shady trees, is gaining a new sidewalk. That’s right, a sidewalk expansion is coming to Compton Road. Design of the new sidewalk will occur in 2022 with construction in 2023 when all of Compton Road in Wyoming is either repaved or reconstructed.
Former City Councilmember Jeff LeRoy, who lives on Hidden Valley Lane, championed the Compton sidewalk expansion, working with then-Mayor Thaddeus Hoffmeister to form a Task Force of residents to look at options and make a recommendation to City Council. The Task Force only met once, in 2020, and walked the length of Compton from Poage Farm to Mt Pleasant, talking with neighbors and exploring possibilities.
Then-Police Chief Rusty Herzog accompanied the Task Force, and that’s when he realized the sidewalk was possible. The terrain isn’t ideal, but residents along Compton were more than willing to accommodate construction to have a sidewalk. “That’s when I recognized this is doable,” said Rusty, who became acting City Manager in November 2020 and began searching for funding sources.
An opportunity presented itself: The Southern Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA). Because of the bus stops on Winton Road and Springfield Pike, SORTA was willing to award Wyoming a grant to build the sidewalk. Total construction is projected at $1.4 million, and the grant covers 70% of the cost with the City paying the balance. SORTA notified Herzog, now the full-time City Manager, in September.
The sidewalk will stretch from Poage Farm to Mt Pleasant and be entirely on the south side of Compton. Rusty walked the street, talking to residents and sharing the news. Feedback was “overwhelmingly positive,” he said.
One of those residents is Jen Jackson, who lives on Compton and chaired the Task Force in 2020. Jen says the sidewalk will make travel for her and her kids safe and enjoyable. “Now we have to watch for cars and say, ‘one, two, three, RUN!’ to get across Compton,” she said. “Cars come fast around the bends and when you have young kids it is very unsafe.” Jen volunteered to chair the Task Force, which consisted of eight residents who lived along Compton and desired safe passage for their kids. She’s excited her family will be able to safely walk from their home around the neighborhood.
The sidewalk will connect Mt Pleasant via Compton to the hilltop, where sidewalks prevail. It will enable more residents to have access to safe, walkable streets. “It’s a wonderful and exciting project,” Rusty said.
“Wyoming residents love to exercise, walk their dogs and be outside,” said Jeff LeRoy, the former council member who claims the sidewalk as one of his proudest achievements during his four years on council. “This sidewalk helps move the City closer to a vision where all of us can safely do that.”
