Elyria Seeks Engineering Firms for SR-57 and Chestnut Ridge Road Improvements

The City of Elyria is seeking engineering consultants to design proposed traffic and roadway improvements along Chestnut Ridge Road and at intersections involving State Route 57 and Chestnut Commons Drive.

The city posted the request for statements of qualifications on July 24. Firms must submit qualifications to City Engineer John Schneider by 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.

Engineering procurement, not construction bidding

The request is for engineering design, environmental and related project-development services. It is not a construction bid, does not select a construction contractor and does not establish a final project cost or construction start date.

The consultant selected through the procurement would be expected to help develop the project under the Ohio Department of Transportation’s review process. The scope includes traffic analysis, surveying, environmental documentation, geotechnical work, roadway design, utility coordination and preparation of right-of-way plans.

What the city is asking consultants to study and design

The RFQ describes a possible widening of Chestnut Ridge Road from approximately Defiance Avenue east to just beyond Chestnut Commons Drive. The final limits, lane lengths and transitions would be determined during preliminary design in consultation with the city engineer.

Potential elements include dedicated left- and right-turn lanes, pavement widening, drainage modifications and traffic-signal upgrades. The document also identifies a proposed second northbound left-turn lane on SR-57 and calls for the signals along Chestnut Ridge Road to be interconnected and coordinated using traffic-adaptive software features.

The RFQ says a possible new traffic signal west of SR-57 may be added as part of a site development currently under review by the city. That language describes a possibility, not an approved signal or a final development decision. The document also identifies limited sidewalk work at the west end of the project near the possible signal area.

The design work would examine environmental effects, utilities and property needs. The RFQ anticipates that right-of-way acquisitions or easements could be needed from adjacent properties along the widened portion of Chestnut Ridge Road, but it does not identify specific parcels or finalize property acquisitions.

Separate from March resurfacing plans

The July RFQ is separate from an ODOT-linked resurfacing project discussed by Elyria officials in March.

Elyria Finance Committee minutes described that earlier project as work on SR-57 from Chestnut Ridge Road to Cleveland Street and on Abbe Road North from SR-57 to the Sheffield corporation line. The scope included pavement repairs and resurfacing, curbs and curb ramps, guardrail upgrades, traffic-signal upgrades and pavement markings. The March 16 City Council agenda listed a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into the ODOT contract.

That earlier project focused on pavement and corridor maintenance. The July RFQ begins a separate engineering and design process for broader operational and safety improvements near Chestnut Ridge Road.

What residents and commuters should expect

The next immediate deadline is Aug. 14, when engineering firms must submit their qualifications. If the city selects a consultant, the project would still proceed through preliminary design, environmental review, ODOT submissions and later city decisions.

For now, the notice does not mean construction is imminent. Future effects could include changes to turn lanes, traffic signals, drainage, sidewalks and property or easement requirements. The RFQ assumes traffic would be maintained during any future construction, but that is a design assumption rather than a confirmed construction traffic plan.

More specific costs, schedules, property impacts and construction details would come after design work, ODOT review and additional approvals.

Sources

• City of Elyria RFQ: SR-57 and Chestnut Ridge Road