Icarus Industrial Painting and Contracting Co.

Tuesday, May 09, 2000

Icarus Industrial Painting and Contracting Co. Inc. crews began a bridge painting project about 2/10ths of a mile west of the junction of U.S. 52 with Ohio 93 in Ironton, said John F. Hagen, Ohio Department of Transportation District 9 deputy director.

"The bridge is being painted to prevent the steel beams from rusting," Hagen said. "Rust is not only unsightly, it also can lead to the deterioration and weakening of the bridge beams."

During the project, U.S. 52 traffic will be maintained in at least one lane in each direction at all times. Lawrence Street, the Ironton street underneath the bridge, also will be reduced to one-lane traffic. Lawrence Street traffic will be maintained with the aid of flaggers, said Holly Snedecor-Gray, ODOT District 9 public information officer.

"As always, whenever we have lane restrictions, we urge motorists to use extra caution," Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said. "We just want people to be alert and aware that crews are out there working."

The project is scheduled to take about three weeks to finish, Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said.

"They are going to be doing both the westbound and eastbound lanes," she said. "They are estimating it will take about three weeks, but it could take longer. There are a lot of factors, weather being one, that could slow the project down. If it rains or gets too cold, it could slow down the project."

Area residents planning a trip out of town Memorial Day weekend should not be worried, though, Mrs. Snedecor-Gray added.

Crews will not be permitted to restrict traffic on holidays, she said.

"Because of weather or lack of supplies, if they are still working, they will be pulled off the road on holiday weekends," Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said. "They will open up all four lanes on U.S. 52 and both lanes on Lawrence Street. There will be no activity on holiday weekends and then if they weren’t done they would restart after the holiday."

In addition to the U.S. 52 bridge, 10 other bridges are scheduled to be painted in connection with the $1 million bridge painting contract. Three of those bridges are located in Lawrence County; three in Scioto County; two in Jackson County; and two in Ross and Pike counties.

The project involves removing the old paint from the structural steel on the bridges and then repainting the structural steel. The project also includes some concrete sealing work.