Highland Drive scheduled to close for 2 ½ months until mid-August

by Melissa Martin

Jan. 21 city council meeting

A portion of Highland Drive is expected to be closed to through traffic from the beginning of June through the middle of August while crews replace a culvert and a section of sidewalk, city officials announced Jan. 21.

City engineer Gerry Wise told Brecksville City Council the plans for the estimated $200,000 project have been approved and all necessary easements have been obtained. Bidding out the project and purchasing the culvert are all that remain to do before the project’s start.

“Right now the way we have the contract written they will be able to close the road the day after school ends with the intent of trying to have that road reopened prior to school opening in the fall,” Wise said. “Most of the challenge with this project is going to be trying to obtain a culvert and once that comes in the project should move quicker.”

Wise said the city is applying for storm sewer reimbursement funding through the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to pay for the work.

City council also approved the following beginning-of-the-year purchase requisitions:

  •  $288,000 for annual IT management and support fees to Chagrin Valley Dispatch. 
  • $360,000 for 2025 refuse and recycling services from Rumpke of Northern Ohio for the disposal of rubbish, street sweepings and vactor debris, and from WM Recycle America for recycling services. 
  • $28,000 to Buyansky Outdoor Supply for leaf disposal. 
  • $350,000 for gasoline and diesel fuel for 2025. 
  • $304,289 for the city’s 2025 operating cost share, equaling $25,357 per month, to Chagrin Valley Dispatch 
  • $11,540 to Sundance Systems, Inc. for the annual support of CAD disaster software and mobile data, public records online, AVL support, hosted system and mayor’s court interface support. 
  • $376,000 recommend to council approval of a purchase requisition in the amount for 2025 road salt provided by Cargill. 

Council approved an agreement between the city and Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church, located at 9201 Brecksville Rd., for supplemental parking to accommodate overflow vehicles for the Community Center and Kids’ Quarters playground.In 2024, Monica Bartkiewicz, director of planning and community development, said the city used the church lot for 14 days, which amounted to a total fee of $4,200. The city has budgeted $6,000 for 2025.