Roadways should stay mostly clear in Lawrence County this year.

Wednesday, March 15, 2000

Roadways should stay mostly clear in Lawrence County this year. Ohio Department of Transportation officials released their year 2000 construction season schedule Monday and there are only six projects topping the list for the county.

"Lawrence County has one major impact project this year and that’s the Big Paddy Creek Bridge replacement project east of Proctorville on Ohio 7," said David Bame, transportation administrator. "It’s ongoing."

With an estimated 120-day closure, the Paddy Creek bridge project will cost an estimated $1.72 million, which is 71 percent of the total cost of Lawrence County’s state road projects.

Currently, Armstrong Steel Erectors crews are removing the bridge and plan to begin construction of the new one next week, Bame said.

"The contractor is doing very well," he said. "Most of the old structure is already removed. They will begin driving piling for the piers next week."

This project, which began Feb. 28, is scheduled to end June 30. Traffic is being detoured from Ohio 7 to Ohio 775 and County Road 403, also known as Irene Road.

Other Lawrence County projects this year include:

– Bench cleaning on U.S. 52 and Ohio 7.

Short delays along various locations on U.S. 52 and Ohio 7 from three and a half miles east of the Lawrence/Scioto county line to near the Lawrence/Gallia county line can be expected this spring and summer while contractors remove fallen rock and debris from the rock wall bordering parts of the roadways, spokesperson Holly Snedecor-Gray said.

"It will not be like the Ashland bridge project," she said. "But it could include some short term closures about 10 to 15 minutes."

Road closures are necessary to protect the motoring public. When contractors push large rocks off the benches some might land in the roadway.

"We don’t want to endanger anyone," Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said.

The project, which will cost about $387 million is scheduled to begin this month and end Aug. 31, she said.

– Bridge beam repair on Ohio 243.

Damage caused when a truck hit the bottom of the Ohio 243 bridge that runs over U.S. 52 will be corrected this fall, Bame said.

"Last summer, a large tank hit a couple of feet up," he said. "It happens. Once in a while, a bridge gets hit."

The project is scheduled to begin in September and cost about $40,000.

During the repair, one eastbound lane on U.S. 52 will be closed, Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said.

– Culvert replacement project on Ohio 378.

This project will cause Ohio 378 from two and a half miles north of the junction of Ohio 243 at Getaway to be closed for about two weeks, Bame said.

"The culvert’s just in bad shape and partially collapsed," he said. "We’ll be replacing a twin 48-inch culvert with a 5-by-5 box culvert."

The project, which will cost about $15,000, is scheduled to begin July 31.

Traffic will be detoured onto Ohio 243, Ohio 7, Ohio 775 and Ohio 217.

– Traffic signal installation at the intersection of Ohio 7 and Ohio 243 at Bradrick.

When this $65,000 project will begin remains uncertain because of material shortages, but it will remain a high priority because of safety issues, Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said.

– City of Ironton street improvements.

ODOT officials will work with City of Ironton engineer Joe McCallister to pave several locations on Second Street, Madison Street, Campbell Street, Adams Street, Spruce Street, South Ninth Street, South Sixth Street, South Fifth Street, Lorain Street and South Third Street.