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Road report: 618 project on track, Marietta paving at risk

JANELLE PATTERSON The Marietta Times Foreman Josh Parks, center, talks with Lisa Nalley, right, over the new Ohio 618 bridge as Scott Wells removes framing from a steaming concrete bridge barrier Thursday in Belpre.

BELPRE–Ohio 618’s approach onto Ohio 7 is on track to reopen traffic in both directions by the end of November.

Bridge Foreman Josh Parks explained Thursday that with the new bridge poured, his team plans to have westbound traffic traveling on it next week and start dismantling the former eastbound bridge around Election Day.

“And we’re looking to be finished by Nov. 21,” he added. “Next week we’ll be putting the guardrail up and striping.”

The $1.3 million Ohio Department of Transportation project has prevented westbound traffic off of Ohio 7 into Belpre since July 30, while still allowing eastbound traffic during demolition, construction and asphalt pour.

Parks explained the only new asphalt on the project is located on the approaches to the new bridge, and that the former westbound side will be milled and seeded.

“These neighbors will get a larger lawn,” he smiled.

The project is a downsizing of lanes for Ohio 618 between Ohio 339 and the Ohio 7 ramp.

Those four lanes have seen less traffic since Corridor D of the Appalachian Highway Development System was completed in 2008.

Marietta

The state route isn’t the only roadway to reopen by the end of the year. The emergency slip which occurred at the top of Channel Lane during heavy rains this past winter will see repairs beginning Monday.

The road between Hadley Lane and Becker/Sunset lanes in Norwood has been closed to traffic since the hillside slipped, causing the loss of one lane of the road.

The closure begins at the culvert and ends at Sunset/Becker lanes. The end of Channel Lane by Hadley Lane is still open.

“And we’re going to further close that road, so the only person of the public who will have access is the guy that lives in the bend,” Project Manager Dave Hendrickson explained Friday.

He explained that the hill will be stabilized with the installation of pipe pilings and metal cribbing.

“The pilings will be driven into the soil until refusal, which means until they hit stone,” said Hendrickson. “Then they’ll put metal cribbing in between the pilings, fill with large rocks, put down a water-permeable material and then fine rock, then topsoil and gravel in places.”

He said the project also includes securing the pilings to the existing stable asphalt on the road, with five “dead-men” anchors that will reach between the fill to the pilings and reinforce the hold to the hill.

The project is estimated to cost $81,540, to be paid for through emergency Ohio Public Works Commission funds and a 10 percent local match.

Utilities will be temporarily relocated while the pilings are installed and a 205-foot long by a 7-foot tall retaining wall is built.

Gravel will be placed over the road until the paving of the road can occur in the spring, once asphalt plants open.

That might not be the only road to change to gravel in 2019.

City Engineer Joe Tucker said Wednesday the city’s asphalt paving projects planned for next year may not get the grant funding needed.

The city applied for Ohio Public Works Commission grant funding for 2019 to pave:

• Fourth Street from Putnam to Washington.

• Seventh Street from Wooster to Washington.

• Washington Street from Ninth Street to Cisler Drive.

• Cisler Drive from Washington to Ray.

• East Eighth Street from the River Trail to Jefferson Street.

• Lancaster Street from Douglas Avenue to Alta Street.

But the total project was estimated to cost $533,232, $400,000 of which was planned for in grant funding.

“I’m disappointed in how we were scored,” said Kathy Downer, chairwoman of city council’s streets committee, on Wednesday. “It would mean even fewer roads get done, or some become dirt.”

Tucker said the city was awarded the least amount of county points, behind two projects for resurfacing and stabilization in Washington County.

“It’s not a definite that we won’t get funding, but given the threshold of points needed to get funding in years past, we’re not likely to be funded,” explained Tucker. “Now the only way we’d see most of those streets paved next year is if the income tax increase passes, ($316,900.33) isn’t quite $400,000 but it’s close.”

Tucker said his priority to complete next year, with the forecast lack of grant funding, is Lancaster Street, which also has a planned water line project on tap for 2019.

County

Meanwhile, County Engineer Roger Wright is hopeful that the two county projects he applied to OPWC for funds might make the cut for 2019.

Wright explained that the three projects, two for the county and one for the city, were attached additional points in the OPWC scoring matrix for funding and the two county projects were awarded the higher point loads by the county subcommittee consisting of Wright, County Commissioner David White, Marietta Mayor Joe Matthews, Warren Township Trustee Jeff Knowlton and Darlene Lukshin, representing a citizen vote.

The two county projects focused on paving and stabilization.

The first is a 10.17-mile base stabilization and resurfacing project for County Road 9 and County Road 46 in Lawrence and Newport counties.

“There are injection wells out that way but not a way that the state allows for a road maintenance agreement between the county and the companies that do injection wells to have to pay for the maintenance of the road,” explained Wright.

That project package asks OPWC for $319,293 in grant funding and a $400,000 loan to cover the $1,256,021 project.

The second county project covers 6.14 miles and took the highest county score for resurfacing of County Road 9, 20 and 33.

The project is expected to cost $749,204, with an application for $400,000 in grant funding and a $131,934 loan from OPWC.

“It’s a loop between County Road 9, 20 and 333,” explained Wright. “We’re trying to create a cost-effective loop of paving so we’re not paying for a second mobilization with a nearby county road so that loop ends near the Schramm Dairy Farm.”

Wright also mentioned Thursday two priority slips in the county from the winter’s heavy rains have been recommended to the county commissioners for bid acceptance.

The first slip bid was in Grandview Township, Brownsville Road (County Road 33), with half a lane missing both in the first mile and again 3.5 miles out.

The second slip, he explained, was Tice Run Road ( County Road 406) in Ludlow Township that also has a half lane missing near the 1.5 miles.

At a glance:

• Ohio 618:

• Will see a new traffic route for eastbound traffic next week on the new bridge.

• Will see the old westbound bridge demolished in two weeks.

• Is expected to conclude construction by the end of November.

• Channel Lane:

• Is to fully closed between the culvert and Sunset/Becker lanes Monday for piling and slip repair.

• Will be covered in gravel until spring paving.

• Marietta 2019 Asphalt Project:

• Is not likely to be funded through Ohio Public Works Commission funds.

• County 2019 Asphalt Projects:

• Two asphalt projects are projected to be funded with OPWC funds.

Source: Times research.

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