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ODOT projects in Valley hit $81M
2011 ODOT Projects
MAHONING COUNTY
State Route 7, Beaver, realignment of the intersection of state Route 7, state Route 626 and Western Reserve Road, $1.7 million
State Route 46, Austintown, resurfacing of state Route 46 from directly north of I-80 to the Trumbull County line, $800,000
U.S. Route 62 & state Route 46, Canfield and Austintown, resurfacing of state Route 46 from Canfield to Youngstown; additional turn lanes at U.S. 62, Route 46 and Herbert Road, $2.4 million
U.S. Route 224, Berlin, Ellsworth and Canfield, resurfacing of U.S. 224 from state Route 534 to Palmyra Road, $1.7 million
State Route 7, Boardman, drainage repairs on state Route 7. $800,000
U.S. Route 224, Boardman, widening of Route 224 at Market Street, $1 million
TRUMBULL COUNTY
U.S. Route 422, Girard, bridge replacement on U.S. 422 over Squaw Creek between state Route 169 and state Route 304, $800,000
State Route 45, Warren and Champion, resurfacing state Route 45 from the Mahoning County line to the southern Warren limit and from the northern Warren limit to Home Avenue, $4.4 million
State Routes 87 and 88, Bloomfield, resurfacing of state Route 87 from state Route 45 to state Route 46, $1.6 million
Hoagland Blackstub Road, Bazetta and Mecca, resurfacing of Hoagland Blackstub Road from Elm Road to Gardner Barclay Road, $1.2 million
Housel Craft Road, Champion, bridge replacement on Housel Craft Road over Dead Branch Creek, $800,000
State Routes 5 and 82 (Warren Outerbelt), Howland, Champion and Bazetta, resurfacing of the outerbelt from state Route 45 to state Route 82, $3.8 million
State Route 7, Hubbard, replacement of two culverts on state Route 7, $200,000
State Route 11, Fowler, redecking of the state 305 and Cadwallder Sonk Road bridges that go over state Route 11, $3.2 million
State Route 45 and U.S. Route 422, Warren, resurfacing of state Route 45 from directly north of U.S. 422 to just directly south of the Norfolk Southern Railroad and U.S. 422 from state Route 45 to state Route 5, $500,000
State Route 46, Weathersfield, resurfacing of state Route 46 from the Mahoning County line to Niles, $1.1 million
State Route 46, Howland, interchange improvements at the intersection of state Route 46 and state Route 82, $500,000
State Route 88, Farmington and Bristol, resurfacing of state Route 88 from the Geauga County line to state Route 45, $2 million
Source: ODOT District 4
YOUNGSTOWN
Orange barrels already are dotting the roadways as the Ohio Department of Transportation begins its construction season.
ODOT will spend about $31 million in Mahoning County and about $50 million in Trumbull County on new and continuing projects from last year, said Justin Chesnic, ODOT District 4 spokesman.
One of the largest new projects in Mahoning County is the resurfacing of state Route 46 from the Canfield limit to just south of New Road, and U.S. Route 62 from Canfield to Youngstown, costing $2.4 million. New turn lanes will be added to the intersection of state Route 46, state Route 62 and Herbert Road, Chesnic said.
ODOT will also realign the intersection, between Boardman and Beaver townships, of state Route 7 (Market Street), state Route 626 and Western Reserve by eliminating 626 — a project that has been discussed for a while, Chesnic said.
“Basically what [workers] will do is make a cul de sac at 626 so it would be a four-leg intersection,” he said, adding a new portion of road will connect 626 to Market Street.
State Route 626 will close for about a month during the $1.7 million project, which will last from the spring until October.
A project at another Boardman intersection has worried some local officials.
ODOT plans to widen U.S. Route 224 at the intersection of Market Street and add a right- turn lane on 224 to give drivers an extra turn lane to turn north on Market Street. Two lanes of traffic in each direction of Route 224 will be open through the construction, beginning this summer and ending in November, Chensic said.
“I’m very concerned about the project. We’ll be meeting with the police and road departments about what could be done to alleviate that congestion,” said township Administrator Jason Loree.
“It’s not just that localized area. People will want to use any township roads they can to avoid the construction. That is ‘the’ intersection in the township,” Loree continued.
Two large projects will continue this year. The resurfacing work and bridge repair on U.S. Route 422 and state Route 193 costing $12.5 million should be completed in August. The rehabilitation of seven bridges on Interstate 680 in Youngstown, a $14.1 million endeavor, is scheduled for completion in July 2013.
In Trumbull County, two long-term projects also will continue in 2011.
The $14.1 million resurfacing and bridge repair on state Route 11 from Niles Vienna Road to King Graves Road is scheduled to end in September. A $19.5 million project on Interstate 80 will continue until August 2012.
All I-80 bridge repairs will be completed this year, and there will be limited weekend one-lane conditions on I-80 just west of Route 422 for bridge work, Chesnic said.
In Champion Township, Housel Craft Road will be closed for about 120 days this summer to replace the bridge over Dead Branch Creek, just east of state Route 534. Detours will be posted, and residences and businesses will still be accessible, according to ODOT plans.
State Route 45 in Warren and Champion townships will be resurfaced this summer as part of $4.4 million project.
In November, ODOT will award contracts for the resurfacing of the state Routes 5 and 82 — the Warren Outerbelt — from state Route 45 to state Route 82, and a minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained on state Route 5 in each direction, according to an ODOT release.
The work is expected to cost $3.8 million and conclude in September 2012.
Chesnic reminded drivers to pay extra attention while in a construction zone.
“The workers are just a few feet off the road. It just takes one distraction, playing with the radio or texting on the cell phone, for an accident,” he said.