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Chesapeake Bypass takes top priority
Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization asks that $173 million for the project be completely restored
Published Friday, July 24, 2009
Put it back on top.
The Lawrence County Commission Thursday approved a resolution asking the Ohio Department of Transportation District 9 to reestablish Phase B of the Chesapeake Bypass as one of its highest priority projects.
The resolution came at the behest of Ralph Kline, assistant director of the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization.
It asks that $173 million for the project be completely restored.
The bypass has been in the talked-about stage for more than 30 years but has not been completed.
Phase 1A, which extends State Route 607 from the 31st Street/East Huntington Bridge to Irene Road East and connects with State Route 775, was completed in 2003 and Phase 1B, between Irene Road at Proctorville and a point near Fairland East Elementary School on State Route 7, was completed in 2005.
But Phases 2 and 3 have been on the back burner since then, even thought then-Congressman Ted Strickland and his successor, Charlie Wilson have both secured federal monies for the project.
The second phase of the Chesapeake Bypass that would relocate Ohio 7 at Proctorville to connect it at Chesapeake. Once completed, the bypass will form the northern outer belt around the Tri-State metropolitan area.
Upon its completion the outer belt will ease local traffic congestion and provide alternative routing when I-64 is either closed or backed up.
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Comments
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on July 24, 2009 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Forget the freakin' bypass. We need our full budgets restored! We've done without the bypass for 30 years, we can wait.
Posted by pantherpride (anonymous) on July 24, 2009 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the bypass is one of the most needed government projects in the state. Lawrence County has no real road network anymore. US 52 has become a six lane rolling parking lot, with multiple service roads and traffic lights everywhere. There is no north-south highway to get in or out of Lawrence County without going through Gallipolis or Portsmouth.
Roads bring jobs and prosperity. Not immediately, but a decent highway infrastructure is the key to all long term growth and development. While we are dreaming, we could also use a good four lane from Jackson south to either Ironton/Ashland or Chesapeake/Proctorville. But first, we MUST finish the Chesapeake bypass. The people of Columbus and Franklin County would never have to wait 30+ years for a road project to get finished. We've paid for the people of Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland to have highway upgrades for three decades. Now it is our turn.
Posted by farmboy (anonymous) on July 24, 2009 at 2:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We need the bypass because Rt 7 at Braddrick is sliding over the embankment. The road had been down to one lane for weeks and no end in sight. This road fix will be temporary as well, as the rest of that stretch of road is edging over. This road is heavily traveled by all in the eastern end of Lawrence county, but people in Ironton know nothing of this. Build the bypass!
Posted by kce (anonymous) on July 24, 2009 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MasterChef, do you ever leave Iroton? If you don't your comments are probably relative to that fact and should just be bypassed. For those who live in the Chesapeake / Proctorville areas this bypass could be a much valued route saving both fuel and time. I had an opportunity to travel through Chesapeake last week and was totally surprised at the decrepid condition of that section of roadway leading east along the river towards Proctorville. It was BAD to put it mildly. Dangerous would be more accurate!
Granted Ironton streets suck badly too and I would love to see some of them repaired to a decent "shock-saving" condition. I'm just thankful that soon US 52 will be driveable again at the speed limit without spilling one's coffee!
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on July 24, 2009 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I Ironton every chance I get, kce. I'm very familiar with the roads AND the congestion. It seems everything this week is "top priority". I'm still waiting to see a bridge.
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