COLUMBIANA CO. FLOOD ODOT expects Route 45 to reopen in October

The damage estimate in Columbiana County has reached $10 million.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Storm-damaged state Route 45 is expected to be reopened by Oct. 7, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
A length of the major north-south artery was washed out by heavy rains last weekend. ODOT said it would quickly repair the road and would seek federal reimbursement later.
A 120-foot-long metal pipe with a 12-foot diameter is expected to be delivered to the site next Thursday. It will replace a square drainage system.
"Work is expected to take four weeks to complete, so that makes Oct. 7 a good target date for reopening the roadway," said Myron Pakush, the deputy director for ODOT's District 11.
District 11 spokeswoman Beck McCarty had no information on the cost of the pipe, the total repair cost, or efforts to seek federal reimbursement.
Funding issues are normally discussed when Federal Emergency Management Agency officials tour the area, generally with ODOT officials, McCarty said.
In area to assess
Jay Carter, director of the county's Emergency Management Agency, said FEMA representatives will be in the county Friday for a preliminary assessment of public and private damage.
"They aren't going to talk to every person," he said.
The assessment will be used to help the county qualify for federal disaster relief.
The EMA's damage estimate is at $10 million for public and private property. More damage reports have been made but not added to the total. Carter urged people to continue to report damage via the Help Hotline at (330) 424-7767.
Carter also said the Ohio Department of Natural Resources plans to drain part of the lake at the Northeast Ohio Christian Church Camp near Lisbon in the next few days.
Part of a dirt dam collapsed during the rains and officials had feared it would collapse. Carter was unsure how much water is in the lake, but said lake is about six acres in size.
Siren testing, other help
In other developments:
UThere will be a test at 6:15 p.m. today of the EMA's siren system used in Columbiana County, as well as Beaver County, Pa., and Hancock County, W.Va., that would be used in case of an emergency at the Beaver Valley Power Station. Sirens will blow for three minutes.
UThe Salem Salvation Army will collect funds to help flood victims at 7:30 p.m. Friday during the Salem-United Local Football game at Salem. The Salvation Army is considering having more collections for flood assistance at area football games.
UColumbiana County Auditor Nancy Milliken said owners can get a tax reduction for storm-damaged property. They can get up to a 100-percent reduction if the damage occurred in the first three-quarters of the year, and a 25-percent reduction if the damage occurred in the last three months. The deadline for damage from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 of this year is Dec. 31. The deadline for damage from October to December is Jan. 31, 2005. The form is available at tax.ohio.gov.
wilkinson@vindy.com