Motorists find ways around construction

Traffic delays will increase when school buses return to the roads later this month.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- Residents, business owners and community leaders are learning to cope with the inconvenience and extra traffic as workers continue to replace the 100-foot bridge that carries motorists over Mosquito Creek and under state Route 82
The bridge that connects East Market Street to Warren-Sharon Road has been closed since June and is not scheduled to reopen until Oct. 4.
"It's a real pain," said township resident Charles Hamilton, who works at WCI Steel in Warren. "It definitely has caused long delays on state Route 46. I just try to give myself extra time."
Other residents say they try taking alternative routes, such as Route 46 to North River Road, in the hope of avoiding long traffic delays.
Traffic delays on Route 46 are expected to increase in the next few weeks when school buses return to the roads.
"I hope parents will understand and not call us upset if their child is on the bus for 45 minutes," said schools Superintendent John Rubesich. "We have all been experiencing these delays, and we are asking parents to just have patience until the road work is completed."
Accidents
With many motorists using state Routes 82 and 46 while that portion of East Market Street is closed, congestion has also increased at the state Route 82/46 interchange, where cars heading to and from the Eastwood Mall and Howland Corners routinely back up.
The Route 82 corridor has been the site of several serious accidents over the past couple of years, prompting officials to call for road improvements at the intersections with Route 46 and Howland-Wilson Road. A traffic study of the entire area is under way.
"I don't think there is a day that doesn't go by that we don't have an officer handling a traffic crash on state Route 46," said Howland Police Chief Paul Monroe.
The replacement of the 74-year-old bridge over Mosquito Creek may also be slowing customers from local businesses.
However, one of the owners of Up The Creek, a new restaurant that opened earlier this summer on East Market Street, said the bridge work is a "blessing."
"Since we are a new business, it has helped us work with smaller amounts of customers while we are getting the kinks worked out," said Linda Rappach, who is able to look out the restaurant windows and watch the bridge replacement.
On schedule
Even though several residents say they have heard rumors that the bridge work has been delayed, Randy Smith, deputy engineer at the Trumbull County Engineer's Department, said the project should be completed in time.
Smith said he met last week with the project consultant and believes the project is on schedule.
"Our goal is to have it done Oct. 4," Smith said.
The county engineer's department made emergency repairs to the bridge in 2001, and reduced the weight limit for trucks by 50 percent out of concern for safety, county officials said.
sinkovich@vindy.com