OXFORD — The city wants to widen two-lane College Corner Pike (U.S. 27) to help decrease the number of accidents on the main truck route from Richmond, Ind., to Oxford and points south.

        But money is an issue.

        The entire project — widening the highway and adding various improvements — would cost about $5.5 million, paid for through federal and city money, said Darren Owens of the city engineering department.

        The city has applied for the money “in chunks, so it doesn't all come at once,” Mr. Owens said.

        Phase one, adding sanitary sewers and water mains, is under way. It will help provide adequate protection in case of fire and establish development opportunities for vacant land that's zoned for industrial use.

        Phase one started in 2000, when city council applied for Issue II money from the Ohio Public Works Commission. In July, the commission approved about $1.1 million for this phase of the project.

        Last month, council asked the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments to award $2.5 million in federal money to start phase two. Phase three would come later. Both would involve widening the road.

        By 2004, Mr. Owens said, the city would like to add the third lane, for turning, for 2 miles of the highway.

        “But everything depends on the funding,” Mr. Owens said. “If we don't get it, the project doesn't happen.”

        Deadline for filing an application for funds is Friday. Within a month, he said, the city should learn whether the request is granted.

        Eighty percent of the project would be paid for with federal funds. The remainder would come from the city.

        According to Councilman Alan Kyger, the city first talked about improving the highway when a corridor study was conducted about 1985. He said he is happy to see that the project is under way, even though about 15 years have elapsed.

        This portion of U.S. 27 averaged more than 400 accidents per year from 1996-1998. “Most are rear- end collisions that occur when people attempt to turn left,” Mr. Owens said.

        Two fatalities have occurred there since 1997. One pedestrian and one cyclist were killed.

        “The highway sees approximately 15 percent truck traffic, based on counts taken in May and October 1999,” he said.

        Other project goals include: improving aesthetics and safety by adding trees, lawns, sidewalks and street lighting to increase visibility.

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