Monday, April 26, 2010
By Denise Dick
By DENISE DICK
YOUNGSTOWN
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Work is underway at U.S. Route 422, Belmont Avenue and Wirt Street, Youngstown, on a $10.6 million Ohio Department of Transportation District 4 project to resurface and replace guardrail on state Route 193 from Crescent Street to U.S. 422 and on U.S. 422 from Route 193 to Belmont.
For the past few weeks, drivers along a portion of state Route 193 and U.S. Route 422 have had to alter their travel plans.
The Ohio Department of Transportation District 4 is resurfacing and replacing guardrail on Route 193 from Crescent Street to U.S. 422 and on U.S. 422 from Route 193 to Belmont Avenue.
With a $10.6 million construction price tag, Kristen Erickson, a District 4 spokeswoman, said it’s one of the largest projects in Mahoning County this year.
The project, which is being done by A.P. O’Horo of Youngstown, also includes rehabilitation of four bridges: Route 193 over Crescent, Route 193 over Rayen Avenue and the railroad and the two bridges at the routes 193/422 interchange.
The project is slated for completion in August 2011.
The work also involves ramp closures from Interstate 680 including the one from I-680 southbound, leading to the Butler Institute of American Art and Stambaugh Auditorium.
Lou Zona, Butler director, said the traffic changes haven’t affected museum attendance though.
“We have some really important exhibits right now including the John Stobbart marine show and an Andy Warhol show so, frankly, people who want to see them find a way to get here,” he said.
Phil Cannatti, Stambaugh executive director, also said the project hasn’t affected that arts venue’s attendance.
“We just had a few hundred people here with [the Youngstown State University lecture series] Dr. Jane Goodall,” he said. “Most in that audience were a little bit older so I’m sure we would have heard something then.”
A performance by the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldier Chorus also performed recently and auditorium staff heard no complaints about construction, Cannatti said.
ODOT said that a minimum of one lane of traffic is being maintained in each direction throughout construction.
