State announces road construction projects in Mahoning and Trumbull

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County will have a total of $68.8 million worth of road projects — $28.5 million that are now active and another $40.3 million that are starting this year.

In Trumbull County, the total is $45.6 million for projects with $23 million active and $22.6 million starting this year.

Overall, there is $443.6 million worth of transportation construction projects statewide, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced.

Among the major projects in Mahoning is the estimated $22.1 million rehabilitation of a bridge on U.S. Route 62 in Youngstown over state Route 289, the Mahoning River and railroad tracks.

The project includes replacing the deck, expansion joints and parapets as well as steel and concrete strengthening repairs. The ramps to Himrod Avenue will also be reconstructed. The project is expected to be done by June 2016.

The entrance and exit ramps at Himrod and South Avenue will be closed for 12 months.

Youngstown Public Works deputy director Chuck Shasho said it will be somewhat of a hardship to have the ramps closed, but it is necessary.

“It’s a pretty major project and there’s no other option,” he said. “There’s no way to replace a bridge unless you close it.”

In Canfield, the U.S. Route 224 bridge over state Route 11 will be replaced at an estimated cost of $7.9 million.

The project also includes widening Route 11 and Raccoon Road to install additional lanes and turn lanes. The project is expected to be done by October 2015.

The biggest issue with that construction, said Canfield Manager Joe Warino, is that Route 224 will be down to one lane in both directions.

He said that will be a hardship for safety services and for school buses.

“We’ll have to get a mutual aid agreement with Boardman to cover Route 224,” he said.

He said buses could use Shields Road to go from the north side of the Ohio Turnpike to Raccoon Road so they can be on time.

In Campbell, a $1.4 million project includes resurfacing Robinson Road from Wilson Avenue to Struthers Coitsville Road, resurfacing Warhurst Road from State Route 289 to Tenney Avenue, and resurfacing Tenney from Warhurst Road to Struthers Liberty Road. The work is expected to be finished in October.

One lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers throughout construction.

Read more, and see a full list, in Tuesday's Vindicator.