A road project designed to keep a neighborhood from being blocked by stopped trains near Seven Mile was officially canceled Tuesday after the Butler County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to return more than $2.7 million in state rail funds tied to the proposed Cedar Grove Connector project. Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the return of $2,761,972.50 to the Ohio Rail Development Commission and formally withdrawing the Cedar Grove Connector project, which had been under consideration for several years. According to the resolution, the project stemmed from a 2021 petition submitted by St. Clair Township residents requesting creation of a new roadway. Commissioners later voiced support for the Cedar Grove Connector in a 2022 letter to the Federal Rail Administration, and in 2024 approved cooperation agreements tied to grant funding for the project. County officials said the project ultimately could not move forward because the county was unable to secure the necessary right-of-way. The resolution stated the property needed for the roadway is protected by a federal agricultural easement, and the property owner declined to allow the easement to be modified or released. The Butler County Engineer’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office said they explored multiple legal options and consulted outside law firms, but determined there was no affordable way to obtain the land needed for construction. The resolution recommending cancellation of the project was approved unanimously by commissioners T.C. Rogers, Cindy Carpenter, and Donald Dixon during Tuesday morning’s regular meeting.
(Editor's Note: AI-Assisted Copy)