NILES Work nears on replacement of bridge

The bridge over the Mahoning River is to remain open during construction.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- A Tallmadge company is the low bidder on a long-awaited project to replace the state Route 46 viaduct.
J.D. Williamson's bid is $5.6 million, the lowest of the six submitted for the project, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. All the bids, opened earlier this month, came in below the $6.7 million project estimate.
ODOT hasn't signed a contract with the company, but work is expected to start next month to replace the one-third-mile bridge over the Mahoning River. A four-lane structure will replace the aging viaduct.
The span on the south edge of downtown will remain open during replacement with traffic reduced to two lanes.
The project has been delayed several times. Plans originally were announced in 1995 for construction to begin in 1999, and then in 2000.
The starting date was eventually pushed back to the end of 2001 because of ODOT's delays in issuing contracts for the design phase, then reset again to spring 2002 for the same reason. It's set for completion in fall 2003.
The 69-year-old span is one of only two passages over the Mahoning River in the city. A bridge on Belmont Avenue reopened in August after a replacement.
Other projects: The viaduct project is just one place in the city where motorists will encounter warmer weather's plague of orange construction barrels.
The board of control earlier this month awarded a contract to a Youngstown company for Robbins Avenue reconstruction between state Route 46 and the city limits. That job includes widening, curb and sidewalk installation, some storm sewer work, turning the middle lane into a turn lane and leveling the road to eliminate the crown in the center.
The school district's new middle school in Brynhyfryd Park along Route 46 is expected to open in the fall of 2003, meaning school and viaduct construction will overlap.
The school district is working out transportation plans to coordinate busing routes and schedules during construction. A weight limit on the bridge will prevent school buses from using it during replacement.