VIENNA Route 11 link to the airport will open early

The interchange will connect Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport to state Route 11.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
VIENNA -- The King Graves Road interchange at state Route 11 near the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport will open in November, eight months ahead of schedule.
The $7 million project was scheduled to finish in July 2002, but an accelerated work schedule by Soda Construction Co. of Niles, the interchange's general contractor, moved the completion date to this year.
Development impetus: The interchange is expected to promote economic development in the region by increasing access to the airport and the AeroPark Industrial Park, said Gov. Bob Taft, who announced the early completion date for the interchange Wednesday.
"Improving access to jobs and the airport is vital to the growth of northeast Ohio," Taft said in a written statement. "The interchange will stimulate the growth of the industrial park near the airport and complement the economic development plans of Vienna, Fowler and Howland townships and Trumbull County."
Taft made similar comments about the interchange when he was on hand for its Nov. 30 groundbreaking.
Cost savings: The accelerated work schedule will result in a $200,000 reduction in the project's cost. Soda will receive $100,000 of the savings as a bonus.
There are no companies waiting to commit to the industrial park or the airport until the interchange was done, but an earlier completion date helps both sell themselves better, said Reid Dulberger, executive director of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, which operates the park.
The completion will be a relief for Timken-Latrobe Steel Distribution, in the industrial park, Dulberger said.
"Their trucks have to take a rather circuitous route to get to their facility.
"This will save them considerable dollars. It's particularly frustrating when you're within 100 yards of the highway, but you have to travel miles to get onto it," Dulberger said.
The project has been discussed for about 20 years. It did not become a reality until U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. of Poland, D-17th, secured the 80 percent share of federal funding for the project. The rest of the money came from the state.
The interchange will allow motorists easier access from state Route 11 instead of having to get off at exits on state Routes 82 or 305 and travel through Vienna to get there.