At an Oct. 26 meeting, Beavercreek City Council advanced measures for the Shakertown Road widening, including property rights needed for temporary construction and storm-sewer work.
Those steps have made property acquisition a central point of friction between the city and some residents.
Emergency Measures for Easements
Council treated many of the measures as emergencies in an effort to keep the project on its grant timetable.
A Monthslong Fight Over the Road
The dispute traces back to plans to widen Shakertown Road, also known as County Road 71, from two lanes to three over a roughly two-thirds-mile stretch between Carthage Drive and Southern Belle Boulevard. The project carries an estimated price tag of $3.2 million, with the Ohio Department of Transportation covering about 75 percent, or $2.4 million, and the city covering the remaining $800,000 through street-levy funds, according to earlier Dayton Daily News reporting.
City plans call for a new center two-way turn lane meant to pull left-turning traffic out of the through lanes, along with drainage upgrades including new curbs, gutters and storm sewers, and a realignment of the Merrick Road/Jayell Drive intersection with Shakertown Road, the City of Beavercreek has said. Descriptions of the project's pedestrian facilities have varied between reports: the more recent account describes sidewalks on both sides of the street, while earlier coverage described a sidewalk on the south side paired with a 10-foot sidepath on the north side. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027, with completion targeted for fall 2028, per the Dayton Daily News and a project page maintained by the City of Beavercreek.
Residents Have Pushed Back for Months
Opposition to the widening isn't new. Residents have raised concerns about the project and its impact on trees.
Right-of-way issues have also figured in the dispute, with the city advancing easements and appropriations tied to the project.
After residents questioned the right-of-way consultant’s communications with property owners, councilmembers asked city staff for negotiator notes, certified-mail timelines and outreach records, according to a separate Citizen Portal report.
Design Changes and What the Records Show
Following public comments, the city says it is refining the design to limit right-of-way impacts, put required storm-sewer infrastructure in easements where feasible and minimize tree removal, according to the City of Beavercreek. The project information cited here does not include traffic-volume or crash figures for the stretch slated for widening, so it does not quantify the safety or capacity rationale. A separate Beavercreek road project also involved right-of-way appropriation: city council records show that in November 2024, council moved an ordinance concerning the Dayton-Xenia Road Widening Project to a second reading, according to the council agenda packet. That record establishes another appropriation proceeding, but does not show that the project’s location, scope or acquisition process matched Shakertown Road.
The dispute continues to involve both the project’s effects on nearby properties and the city’s efforts to secure the rights needed for construction.
