Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Under Construction
Mercer, Auglaize counties to begin 18 road projects
By Janie Southard
Photo by Daily Standard Staff
The Ohio Department of Transportation is awarding more than $2 billion in projects throughout the state. Nearly $15 million will be spent in Mercer and Auglaize counties. The locations of the projects are shown.
Ohio is kicking off its largest construction season ever this year.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is awarding more than $2 billion in projects, outnumbering past seasons by 30 percent.
Included in the 1,600-plus projects this year are 130 interstate projects, 300 resurfacing/pavement upgrade projects, 290 bridge and culvert modernizations, 30 pedestrian and bikeway improvements and seven maritime projects at ports along the Ohio River and Lake Erie.
Ten of those projects are in western Auglaize County and account for more than $6 million. One of the projects already underway is the nearly $2 million bridge project at the state Route 29/U.S. 33 interchange.
In Mercer County, ODOT's construction calendar includes eight projects amounting to more than $8.8 million. One of those projects is the $3.3 million Main Street reconstruction project to start this summer in Celina.
"Just as important as the number of projects under construction this year is the number of paychecks these investments are helping write," ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris said in a press release.
A formula from the Federal Highway Administration shows that every $1 billion invested in highways and bridges influences 27,800 jobs.
There will be more than 100 projects in ODOT's District 7, which includes the counties of Mercer, Auglaize, Shelby, Darke, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Clark and Champaign.
Molitoris urged drivers to be cautious in work zones. An ODOT safety analysis shows 4,933 crashes in work zones last year, killing 13 people.
Information on the construction season and updated road conditions can be found at Web site www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.
Mercer County projects:
1: U.S. 127 (Celina's Main Street reconstruction project), resurfacing and pavement markings from Lake Shore Drive to Livingston Drive. Cost: $3,306,003. Start/end: July through summer 2011.
2: State Route 49 and state Route 703, plane and resurface existing roadway through Fort Recovery, and from Montezuma north corporation limit to U.S. 127; Cost: $478,900. Start/end: June to fall
3: State Route 197, shoulder stabilization, plane and resurfacig of the existing roadway from mile mark 1.61 in Celina to U.S. 33. Cost: $714,044. Start/end: May through summer.
4: State Route 118, replace structure over a branch of Twelve Mile Creek at 2.56 miles north state Route 29. Cost: $140,298. Start/end: already in progress, through summer.
5: State Route 219, replace three-span structure over Little Chickasaw Creek, just west of Auglaize County line. Cost: $347,259. Start/end: already in progress, through summer.
6: State Route 29 and State Route 707, shoulder stabilization, plane and resurface the existing roadway from Indiana line to Celina west corporation and from U.S. 127 to state Route 117. Cost: $1,610,790. Start/end: May through summer.
7: State Route 117 and State Route 716, plane and resurface the existing roadway from junction of State Route 118 to U.S. 127 and from Darke County line to Chickasaw south corporation limit. Cost: $1,279,036. Start/end: July through fall.
8: Buckeye Street (Celina), remove and replace existing street, sidewalks, curb and gutter and build new storm water drainage from Myers Road to Market Street. Cost: $1,327,682. Start/end: already in progress, through fall 2011.
Auglaize County projects:
1: State Route 116, plane and resurface existing roadway from state Route 29 to St. Marys north corporation limit. Cost: $194,644. Start/end: July to late summer.
2: State Route 119, plane and resurface existing roadway from state Route 66 to the Minster east corporation limit. This project also will include resurfacing state Route 66 from the Shelby County Line to state Route 119. Cost: $758,558. Start/end: April through summer.
3: State Route 66 and state Route 219, plane and resurface existing roadway from junction of state Route 119 north to New Bremen south corporation limit and from 66 to the New Knoxville west corporation limit. Cost: $915,159. Start/end: June through summer.
4: U.S. 33 and state Route 29, replace two bridge decks at north edge of St. Marys. Cost: $1,781,672. Start/end: already underway, through this fall.
5: U.S. 33, bridge repair, 4.35 miles east of state Route 66. Cost: $108,838. Start/end: July through fall.
6: State Route 66, bridge repair south of state Route 219 on state Route 66 over St. Marys River. Cost: $585,156. Start/end: August through fall.
7: State Route 66, replace structure south of state Route 219 over branch of St. Marys River. Cost: $556,760. Start/end: 2011, through fall 2011.
8: State Route 66, replace structure, south of state Route 219 over St. Marys River. Cost: $711,327. Start/end: 2011, through fall 2011.
9: Auglaize Heritage Trails, Bloody Bridge, construct gravel drive/parking lot at Kossuth Road, north of St. Marys. Cost: $19,560. Start/end: July through late summer.
10: State route 33 from State Route 364 overpass to Interstate 75, replace guide signs on freeway and intersections at seven interchanges. Cost: $382,213. Start/end: April through summer.
