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Athens City Council approves joining a challenge against AT&T and discusses bridge projects

By: Jack Greene
Posted on: Tuesday, January 14, 2025

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The city of Athens is joining growing calls to challenge a proposed change that could increase the cost of infrastructure projects.

The change would make municipalities pay for any relocation or undergrounding of AT&T’s facilities that are in the public right of way.

The Ohio Municipal League is leading the challenge to the tariff application before it takes effect on Saturday.

Councilmember Alan Swank said “this is not about AT&T.” He said, “this is about control of our right of ways.”

Mayor Steve Patterson said this move would diminish the power of municipalities across the state.

“This is another play to erode further home rule, our ability to self govern, especially when it comes to utilities being planted wherever,” he said.

Councilmembers Jessica Thomas and Beth Clodfelter said other companies could follow suit if the change is allowed to move forward.

“(Ohio Municipal League’s) primary concern outside of this itself is that if AT&T succeeds in doing this, other entities will follow and AEP and Columbia Gas will likely be first up,” Thomas said.

The change AT&T is proposing is set to go into effect on Saturday unless a challenge is filed.

Once filed, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio will set a hearing to listen to those against the change.

Councilmembers also discussed plans to upgrade three bridges in Athens.

One project would do a “full rehabilitation” of the Stimson Avenue bridge. The nearly $4.5 million project would replace the deck, approach slabs, guardrail, abutments and substructure. The project will also add new lighting and a pedestrian path across the bridge.

“The Stimson Avenue bridge is pretty old,” said Councilmember Solveig Spjeldnes. She said it is important to keep the bridge safe as it is an important part of the Stimson corridor.

One concern among businesses along Stimson Avenue is how the construction could impact traffic on the road. Patterson said there will be signalized two-way traffic flow on the bridge during construction.

“There will still be east and west traffic moving through that corridor, unlike some of the interruptions that we experienced during the previous Stimson Avenue corridor project,” he said.

The council also discussed a project to also do work on the Richland Avenue bridge and the Strouds Run Drive bridge over U.S. 33.

Patterson said the original epoxy paint on the Richland bridge “didn’t cure properly.” He said the paint is now peeling off the bridge and needs replacing.

As for the bridge over U.S. 33, Patterson said he wants to make the bridge safer and look nicer.

“It looks terrible,” he said. “That’s one of the first impressions when you enter the city of Athens.”

The county has jurisdiction over the bridge, but Patterson said the city is working through an agreement with the county commissioners so the project can move forward.

The city plans to begin work on all three bridges this year and it should be completed in 2026.