Bridge replacements set in Youngstown, Canfield

A landmark downtown bridge will get a $4 million, 18-month upgrade.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County Engineer's Office is planning two major bridge projects for next year, one in Youngstown and the other in Canfield.
The larger of the two projects is the replacement of the entire concrete deck, any necessary repairs to the structural steel and concrete abutments, and painting of all structural steel on the Spring Common Bridge.
The bridge, which crosses the Mahoning River, links Mahoning Avenue with West Federal Street in downtown Youngstown.
The $4 million, 18-month project is expected to begin in February, with half the bridge closed at a time and one lane of traffic maintained in each direction, said county Engineer Richard Marsico.
The bridge will be closed for two separate unconnected weeks while the concrete is being poured and setting on either side of the bridge, Marsico said. During those weeks, motorists will be asked to detour via the Marshall Street bridge, he said.
Federal grants will pay 98 percent of the project cost, with only $80,000 in local funds to come from the county's bridge bond levy. The 268-foot-long steel arch of the 1949-vintage bridge's main span will be preserved, Marsico said.
The $225,000 Canfield project will replace the bridge that carries Herbert Road over Sawmill Creek and require the closing of Herbert Road between Blueberry Hill Drive and Coral Way from June 15 to Aug. 1.
The project is being scheduled in the summer so it won't interfere with transportation of schoolchildren, said Marilyn Kenner, chief deputy county engineer. State funds will pay 76 percent of the project cost, and the rest will come from the bridge bond levy.
Safety upgrades
In an ongoing effort this year, the county engineer's office has been performing safety upgrades on some bridges by replacing concrete walls close to the road's edge with guardrails set farther back from the road, thereby widening the travel lanes.
At other bridges, guardrail installations at the approaches to the concrete walls will shield wayward vehicles from the blunt ends of the walls.
Railing upgrades were scheduled for five small bridges on Western Reserve Road in Green Township and for one small bridge each on Creed Road in Milton Township, County Line Road in Beaver Township, Springfield Road in Springfield Township and Burkey Road in Austintown.
Guardrail installations were also scheduled for Northeast River Road in Milton Township, Shilling Road in Berlin Township and Kirk Road in Austintown.