COLUMBIANA CO. Route 45 restricted



Route 11 has experienced mudslides as well.
SALEM -- Traffic is restricted until further notice on state Route 45 just north of Wellsville as engineers assess highway erosion problems, Ohio Department of Transportation officials said.
The southbound lane is closed, but one-way traffic in the northbound lane is controlled with traffic signals.
ODOT officials are assessing the area and will determine as soon as possible what repairs are needed, said Becky McCarty, ODOT public information officer for District 11.
McCarty said Monday the recent heavy rains have caused erosion under the pavement. She said ODOT officials aren't certain how long the road will remain restricted.
Previous problems that closed the state road in the area were from mud and rock sliding onto the highway from hillsides above, she said.
Mudslides occurred in the Dresden Avenue area of East Liverpool on Thursday. The road was closed for three days as city crews removed rocks, mud and uprooted trees.
East Liverpool police said no injuries were reported.
The heavily traveled four-lane highway was closed at the Calcutta exit and traffic detoured Dresden Avenue to the Eighth Street entrance to Route 11. ODOT officials later made the detour longer, sending traffic to the Lisbon-West Point exit.