Tuesday, July 29, 2003
One Mahoning County paving program is done; another will start soon.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- This summer's unrelenting rain has delayed countless picnics and baseball games, but generally hasn't held up the annual road paving work done by county engineers.
"So far, everything is right on schedule," said Richard Marsico, Mahoning County engineer.
Engineers in neighboring Trumbull and Columbiana counties also said the rain hasn't been much of a pain when it comes to paving.
Mahoning County does a two-pronged paving program each year. One is funded with revenue from a county sales tax, and the other with Issue 2 money from the Ohio Public Works Commission.
Marsico said the sales tax program was pretty much finished two weeks ago, with only some bridge deck work left to complete. The Issue 2 paving is set to begin in about a week.
He said even if it rains, pavers can work between showers because the asphalt surface usually dries fairly quickly.
"It's not like they have to wait around for dirt to dry," Marsico said.
South Avenue
That's been the problem with South Avenue, which is being widened to five lanes between Western Reserve Road and U.S. Route 224. Marsico said it's been too wet to lay down the subgrade, which is the surface that's put down to prepare for the actual pavement.
"That really needs nice, dry weather so it will be good and stable, and you can build a good road over it," Marsico said. "We really need a good, dry month."
The South Avenue project has been under construction for more than a year and is not part of the county's annual paving program.
Marsico said the heavy rain has kept his crews busy dealing with standing water and washed-out roads in all parts of the county, though none of the damage has been significant.
"I think the winter storms were much harder on the roads than this rain has been," he said, noting that pockets of intense rain have hit various parts of the county at different times. "There hasn't been anything uniform at all about this weather."
Marsico said his crews sometimes have to be called out late at night to deal with high water or wash-outs, but he's kept overtime down to a minimum so there's no strain on his budget.
Other counties
Flooding in Trumbull County will delay some road projects planned for this summer, but should not cause any to be canceled, said Trumbull County Engineer John Latell.
Road crews have been busy this week setting up detour and road closure signs and trying to open up plugged culverts, he said.
No county roads appear permanently damaged by flooding, he said.
"We still have a good part of the summer to go," he said. "Whatever we had scheduled for this summer, we are looking forward to completing it."
Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson said his county's paving efforts are on schedule this year despite the wet weather.
Dawson noted, however, that the county is paving less roadway this year than in the past. If the county was trying to follow its normal paving schedule, the rain probably would be causing delays, he added.
bjackson@vindy.com