Realignment of Route 30 to be decided after studies on two proposed paths

In-depth studies now will mean fewer problems later, one ODOT official said.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Ohio Department of Transportation officials will be ready by August 2006 to announce the route the realignment of U.S. Route 30 will follow through Stark, Carroll and Columbiana counties, said Lloyd MacAdam, ODOT District 11 production administrator.
MacAdam said a date for the start of construction has not been announced. The money released recently by the Transportation Review Advisory Council will be used for engineering and development work that will delay the start of construction but speed up the process as it nears completion, he said.
The money will be used for in-depth studies to estimate the cost of construction, the impact on homes and businesses, wetlands, etc., of two proposed routes, rather than waiting until after a route is selected to do those studies, he explained.
TRAC recently approved $9.1 million for relocation of U.S. 30 in Stark County from Trump Avenue to state Route 44. The total cost is $32 million.
TRAC also approved $4.4 million for preliminary engineering to relocate U.S. 30 from Route 44 to state Route 9. The total project cost is $100 million.
"Of course we are very happy to get this money," he said. "Doing more in-depth work now will mean there will be no big surprises later."
Progress
ODOT began to look at the project as part of upgrades for Route 30 across the state in 1990, and District 11 hired a consultant for the easternmost part in 1993.
The proposed realignment of U.S. Route 30 from Canton in Stark County east through Carroll and Columbiana counties is planned to connect to state Route 11 somewhere in Columbiana County, possibly near Lisbon.
ODOT officials outlined four proposed routes in 1997, and in 1999 narrowed the choices to two.
Although no official decision has been made on the exact route the realigned highway will take, ODOT officials in 1999 said the "preferred" route is one that would come out of Canton and go north of the current route to cross state Route 9 just north of Hanoverton in Columbiana County, then dip south, crossing the current U.S. 30 east of Hanoverton, then go southeast, crossing state Route 45 south of Lisbon to connect to Route 11.
ODOT officials have discussed making the realigned highway either a four-lane or what is known as a Super 2 -- a two-lane highway in a four-lane space.
They said besides connecting U.S. 30 to Route 11, the realignment would improve safety along the 35-mile, hilly, winding, two-lane highway.