Will Miller, Gary Mcglurg (left) and Wayne Cole (right) of the R.I.D.E group present a $50,000 to East Liverpool Mayor Bobby Smith and Auditor Marilyn Bosco. (Submitted photo)

EAST LIVERPOOL — East Liverpool received $50,000 towards the loan for the River Road Project from R.I.D.E (Road Improvements Drive Economy), a 501 (c)(3) corporation formed through the efforts of local businesses to provide support to the City of East Liverpool.

A check has been presented to the city’s mayor and auditor for the past nine years to go towards the $1 million loan to fix River Road.

R.I.D.E. contributes approximately $50,000 annually as their share of the loan payment. The group helped set up the financing for the project by assisting the city in securing funding in 2017 and paying approximately 50% of it.

They have paid over $450,000 to the city to go towards the loan.

Mayor Bobby Smith said during Monday’s East Liverpool City Council, that next year would probably be the last year for the contribution, but Seaforth, one of the companies that make up R.I.D.E., has expressed interest in the bike trail the city is currently working to raise $180,000 for.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com