Three miles of highway paving and three bridge replacement projects top ODOT’s list of local road projects for the 2001 construction season.

Friday, March 16, 2001

Three miles of highway paving and three bridge replacement projects top ODOT’s list of local road projects for the 2001 construction season.

Funding for the projects will total about $2.2 million, and both are designed to enhance travel through Lawrence County, said Kathleen Fuller, Ohio Department of Transportation spokesperson.

ODOT officials gathered at the state garage in Ironton this week to announce the projects. They are:

– Paving U.S. 52 from approximately the 2-mile to the 5-mile markers near Hanging Rock. Four lanes will be resurfaced; $1.65 million.

That Hanging Rock section was one of the worst areas as far as road condition, said David Bame, county transportation administrator at the garage.

Contracts for the work likely will be let in November, but resurfacing probably won’t start until spring 2002, Bame said.

– Replacement of three bridges on County Road 17 (Rankins Creek Road) at the 3.55, 4.95 and 5.22 mile markers, between the intersecting points of Ohio 243; $570,000.

ODOT will administer and inspect the county bridge projects, Mrs. Fuller said.

The two projects make up the major construction this year, in addition to about $1.2 million in maintenance, Bame said.

Funding is close, but there are fewer projects that in previous years, he said.

In the meantime, ODOT is continuing right- of-way acquisition work for the long-awaited Chesapeake Bypass.

ODOT has just started the "taking" process, where the state buys out land and homes where road construction will occur, Bame said.

Partial buyouts should start about May. No construction will take place this year.

Across the state the Ohio Department of Transportation will maintain its record-high $1.2 billion construction budget this year, Mrs. Fuller said.

"The list of projects for this year emphasizes improving transportation infrastructure while minimizing impact to the communities," said ODOT District 9 Deputy Director John F. Hagen. "The department has not only increased the amount of night and off-peak work this year, it has spent millions to accelerate work schedules on several of its major interstate projects in an effort to open the highways months ahead of schedule." includes:

– Interstate 71 in Delaware, Franklin, Hamilton, Richland and Ashland counties.

– Interstate 75 in Montgomery and Hancock counties.

– Interstate 77 in Noble, Stark and Guernsey counties.

– Interstate 70 in Franklin, Guernsey and Belmont counties.

– Interstate 90 in Cuyahoga and Lake counties.

– Interstate 480 in Cuyahoga County.

SIDEBAR

Ohio Department of Transportation District 9, which includes Lawrence County, has approximately $65 million worth of construction projects scheduled to take place during the 2001 construction season.

That $65 million will be divided among 38 construction projects in Adams, Brown, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross and Scioto counties.

Those 38 projects include two major bridge replacement projects, 21 other bridge replacement projects, seven resurfacing projects and eight miscellaneous projects. Two highlights are the replacement of the U.S. Grant Bridge at Portsmouth and the resurfacing of portions of U.S. Route 23 in Pike and Scioto counties.

Other highlights:

– Of District 9’s budget, more than $42.5 million is expected to be spent on bridge replacement projects this construction season.

– Of this amount, approximately $35 million will be sponsored by ODOT Central Office’s major bridge funding program.

– ODOT District 9 is planning to spend approximately $8.5 million on resurfacing projects this construction season.

– ODOT District 9 had a $22 million construction season last year. spent millions to accelerate work schedules on several of its major interstate projects in an effort to open the highways months ahead of schedule."