Sources: FBI asking questions about Summit Street reconstruction in downtown Toledo

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The FBI is asking the City of Toledo some questions about the Summit Street reconstruction project downtown. The information comes from two independent sources, who spoke to the 13abc I-Team on the condition of anonymity. The scope, and the exact information the investigators seek, aren’t clear yet.

It’s the project that’s supposed to transform part of downtown Toledo’s waterfront, the multi-million dollar reconstruction of Summit Street from Lafayette to Jackson Street. New traffic patterns, new water lines, and new landscaping are all part of the project that is expected to be completed this summer when Toledo welcomes to world’s best women’s golfers during the Solheim Cup.

The anonymous sources, who have knowledge of the project, told the 13abc I-team that FBI agents have spoken with City of Toledo personnel about the project in the last few weeks. An FBI spokeswoman told the I-Team on Monday that it is their policy to neither confirm nor deny any potential ongoing investigation.

This project, like so many, saw delays due to COVID-19 in 2020. That is also when we learned the price tag of the project would increase. Originally the project was expected to cost about $7.5 million.

Last May the city administration came back to city council asking to issue new notes and bonds totaling $10.5 million. 13abc was told the scope of the project changed and design plans evolved and that accounted for the change.

To be clear, no one has been charged with any crimes and nothing may ever come of this. But questions are being asked at a pretty high level.

We asked a city of Toledo spokesman for a comment Monday. We received one Tuesday morning.

“We are extremely proud of the work going on at Summit Street, which will transform that part of downtown and get us ready for an international sporting event coming to Toledo this year, and if there are any questions, we will of course cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities,” City of Toledo spokesman Ignazio Messina told the 13abc I-Team.

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