Commissioners vote for Austintown road repaving

At least a 20 percent cost overrun is likely, engineer says.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County commissioners voted to advertise for bids for the repaving of 5.8 miles of Mahoning Avenue from Meridian Road to Meander Reservoir in Austintown.

The commissioners took their action Thursday; the bid opening will be in early August; and the work should start immediately after Labor Day and take two months to complete, said Richard A. Marsico, county engineer.

At least one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained throughout the construction, he said. Most of Mahoning Avenue in Austintown is five lanes wide.

The work also includes removal of abandoned railroad tracks that cross Mahoning Avenue in a grade crossing between Meridian and Four Mile Run roads and installation of new curb cuts for handicapped accessibility.

Because of rising prices for asphalt, which has an oil-based binder, the job is likely to cost at least 20 percent more than the $1.8 million budgeted for it, he said.

The job is 80 percent federally funded, with 20 percent local funding from the county engineer’s office.

Marsico said he had wanted the work to start at the beginning of summer, but delays in federal and state approval of the project have forced postponement of the work.

Asphalt can’t be applied and lane lines can’t be painted in freezing weather, Marsico said, adding that he hopes to avoid having to suspend the job for the winter and resume work next year.

“Usually, there is some good weather in November. Normally, you can get through the middle and sometimes all of November to get a project done,” he said.