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ODOT wrapping up McClurg Road widening project
BOARDMAN
The Ohio Department of Transportation is wrapping up work on a project to widen a stretch of McClurg Road that contains some significant township destinations, most notably St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital.
Originally scheduled to be complete by the end of this week, ODOT has pushed back the completion date of the project at the intersection of McClurg Road and state Route 7 to the end of November. Major parts of the project, however, now are complete.
“Ninety-eight percent of the work is done. Folks are not going to see a lot of lane restrictions out there,” said Brent Kovacs, ODOT District 4 spokesman. “We’re just waiting to get some final products in, and we’ll install them in the next month or so.”
What’s left to complete, Kovacs said, are minor tasks such as striping, installing new traffic signs and traffic-light work.
The $700,000 project, on which ODOT broke ground at the beginning of September, widened McClurg Road from two to three lanes of traffic between state Route 7 and just west of Southern Boulevard.
The new lane is a two-way left-turn lane that provides better access to properties, such as the hospital, along that corridor. It also added a new traffic signal at the state Route 7 intersection, drainage improvements and a pedestrian crossing at Tod Avenue for the hospital’s auxiliary parking lot. Some resurfacing work also was done.
The primary goal of the project was to improve access to St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital, which is at the corner of McClurg and Route 7.
“Really, the project was to help ease traffic congestion trying to get to the hospital and improve access for motorists trying to get into McClurg Road,” Kovacs said.
ODOT officials say the project was a collaboration among Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital, Boardman Township, the Mahoning County Engineer’s Office, ODOT and its division of jobs and commerce.
“The McClurg Road widening project is a great example of collaboration with the public and private sectors,” Genie Aubel, president of St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital, said in a release. “Mercy Health is supportive of this initiative as it will improve access and safety but just as important, continue to support the economic growth of the area.”
RT Vernal Paving & Excavating Inc. of North Lima is the main contractor for the project.