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The State Route 219 bridge that runs over Beaver Creek in Montezuma.
MONTEZUMA - A state agency appears to be holding firm to its plans to completely shut down the State Route 219 bridge for two months in 2025 to repair the deteriorating structure despite an outcry from village officials.
Village officials a few weeks back said they're urging Ohio Department of Transportation to instead keep one lane of the bridge open for emergency responders. They asked locals to add their voices to a chorus of opposition.
Wednesday was the final day to submit comments on the project to ODOT. To date, ODOT has received one letter and one phone call from the public on the project, said ODOT spokesperson Loryn Bryson. "All other feedback" came from elected officials or first responders, she added.
"We understand that projects like this create a burden on those who live, work and travel through the area," Bryson said. "We will work with the contractor to do everything possible to minimize those issues and complete the project safely and on time."
Officials plan to close both lanes on the bridge over Beaver Creek.
Closing both lanes of traffic on the bridge over Beaver Creek will save the state $270,000 and cut construction time by 45 days, according to Bryson. The project is estimated at $800,000 and will be bankrolled with federal and state preservation funds.
"We ask residents to consider the fact that a full closure results in a shorter disruption to their travels, a better and longer-lasting bridge, and lower costs to taxpayers," Bryson said.
Other practical considerations also factored into ODOT's decision to completely close the bridge to traffic.
"Maintaining traffic through the work zone instead of doing a full closure would substantially extend the construction period and increase project costs," Bryson said. "It would also create a joint that can allow for infiltration of moisture and de-icing compounds into the bridge deck. This leads to quicker deterioration that requires more frequent maintenance and reduces the service life of the bridge."
With the full closure, ODOT will not only save time and money for taxpayers, but likely extend the service life of the bridge by 35 years, Bryson said.
The project is expected to begin late spring or early summer 2025 and take three months to complete. The bridge would be closed for two months of the project, according to an ODOT letter to village officials.
The Ohio Department of Transportation intends to close both lanes of traffic on a bridge scheduled for rehabilitation in the late spring or early summer 2025. ODOT said it will work with emergency responders to minimize challenges.
The signed detour for the project will span roughly 22 miles from U.S. 127 south to State Route 274 east, to State Route 364 to State Route 219 west.
"It is anticipated that local residents and service providers will utilize local roads for a substantially shorter detour," Bryson said.
Montezuma Mayor Steve Fortman had said closing the bridge completely would add 10 minutes to the response time for emergency medical services and law enforcement. He said the delay would be even longer if the official 22-mile detour is followed.
Responding to Fortman's fears of delayed emergency response during the work, Bryson said ODOT routinely deals with situations like this across the state and works with local first responders on ways to minimize challenges as much as possible. It will do the same for the Montezuma bridge project.
"While the official detour is indeed 22-miles, we know that many local residents and first responders will use local routes to get around the 60-day closure," Bryson reiterated. "It's important to note that even a partial-closure would result in some delay for those using the bridge"
The bridge was built in 1982, Bryson said. ODOT developed a project to address the deteriorating bridge in March 2021 and notified Montezuma officials March 25, 2022, said Bryson.
During its last inspection on Aug. 2, 2022, the bridge received a general appraisal score of 5 on a scale of 0 to 9, with 9 being a "brand-new bridge," Bryson said.
"Any rating at 4 or lower is considered 'structurally deficient,'" Bryson said. "At ODOT, we don't want to wait until a bridge reaches a level of concern before we address it. That's why we've scheduled this bridge for replacement in two years."
Crews will remove the existing bridge deck and beams and replace them with new components. Bryson said the piers and abutments will be reused and modified for the new bridge deck and beams.
Roughly 3,850 vehicles per day travel the route that goes over the bridge in Montezuma, according to ODOT. A 22-mile detour route will be established when the bridge closes.
The latest traffic count showed an average of 3,854 vehicles per day traveling the route that goes over the bridge. Of that total, 154 are trucks, according to Bryson.
"State Route 219 is not classified as part of the National Highway System, which is a federal designation for roadways that are considered strategic for the nation's economy, defense and mobility," Bryson said. "When a full closure is implemented, a detour will be provided to maintain traffic for trucks and other travelers including interstate commerce."
Shoreline Bar and Grill sits along State Route 219 near the bridge in Montezuma slated for repair in 2025.
