Road crews adapt to rainy conditions as work continues
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Warmer temperatures mean it's construction season in Ohio, but the rains also equal some delays.
This was the story at the Cornerville Bridge in Marietta Township this week, with a pivot from drilling piers to abutment work.
"We kept working, but rain obviously slows down production," said Washington County Engineer Roger Wright. "Unfortunately the spring floods got us this week a little bit."
With a pier underwater of the Little Muskingum River after rains throughout the middle of the week, Wright explained, drilling had to pause.
"We're basically building a foundation over drilled shafts, so one of the piers is currently underwater and we're going to have to wait until Monday of next week to get back to it," said Wright. "Hopefully, the water will be down and we can get that done."
But despite higher waters, the team pressed on.
"We got the other abutment drilled and poured so that work can, kind of, continue. But as soon as the river goes down we have a little bit more drilling and clean-up on the other side to do and we'll be right on schedule."
Wright said nearly 30 projects are on the docket for the summer, still playing catch-up as far back as 2018 with landslips and road work across the county requiring emergency federal disaster funding.
"Sometimes it's felt like all I do is talk about FEMA," he shared. "But just because we were waiting on answers didn't mean we weren't still pushing things along. So I think we're close to having a bunch of those larger projects finally done in design and reaching final approval which means we can finally go to construction and fix things … It's going to be a busy year."
The Times is working with Wright's office to determine how projects will be announced and tracked throughout the 2021 construction season, see a later edition of the Times for more.
The following construction projects are anticipated to affect highways in Washington and surrounding counties in the coming weeks according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
All outlined work is weather permitting.
¯ I-77 resurfacing: A resurfacing project is taking place on I-77 between Exits 1 and 6.
The project also includes guardrail replacement, drainage correction, and concrete barrier upgrades. The passing lanes of I-77 north and south are closed. Estimated completion is June 4.
¯ I-77 resurfacing: A resurfacing and concrete joint repair project is taking place on I-77, between Exits 6 and 16.
The passing lane of I-77 north is closed. Estimated completion is Aug. 1.
¯ City of Marietta signal/fiber optic upgrades: A traffic signal and fiber optic system project is taking place at various intersections in the City of Marietta, including Putnam, Front, Third, Seventh, Greene, Pike, and Acme Streets.
Periodic short-term daily lane closures will be in place. Estimated completion is June 30.
¯ Ohio 60 landslide: One lane of Ohio 60 is closed 1.5 miles south of Lowell due to a landslide.
Temporary traffic signals and a 12-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is Aug.1.
¯ Ohio 821 landslide: One lane of Ohio 821 is closed between Buells Run (Township Road 86) and Peaker Run (Township Road 327) due to a landslide.
Temporary traffic signals and an 11-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is July 1.
¯ Ohio 821 rock fall mitigation: A rock fall mitigation project is taking place on Ohio 821, between Stanleyville-Narrows Road (Township Road 16) and Dunbarger Road (Township Road 318).
One lane is closed. Temporary traffic signals and an 11-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is May 14.
¯ Ohio 555 bridge replacement: One lane of Ohio 555 is closed between Barton Road (Township Road 714) and Ohio 676 for a bridge replacement project.
Temporary traffic signals and an 11-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is Nov.1.
MORGAN COUNTY
¯ Ohio 60 gas line relocation: One lane of Ohio 60 is closed one mile east of McConnelsville due to a gas line relocation project.
Temporary traffic signals and an 11-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is May 21.
¯ Ohio 376 landslide: One lane of Ohio 376 is closed 2.87 miles north of McConnelsville due to a landslide.
Temporary traffic signals and a 10-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is June 15.
¯ Ohio 376 resurfacing: A resurfacing project is taking place on Ohio 376, between Ohio 266 and the Muskingum County line.
Traffic is being maintained by flaggers. Estimated completion is Sept. 10.
MONROE COUNTY
¯ Ohio 537 landslide: One lane of Ohio 537 is closed between Township Road 307 and Pleasant Ridge Road (County Road 73) due to a landslide.
Temporary traffic signals and a 14-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is Dec. 31.
¯ Ohio 260 landslide: One lane of Ohio 260 is closed between Merrill Ridge Road (County Road 105) and Witten Creek Road (County Road 15) due to a landslide.
Temporary traffic signals and a 12-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is Nov. 1.
¯ County Road 29 bridge rehabilitation: A bridge rehabilitation project begins on May 10 on County Road 29 (Sunfish Creek Road), 0.85 miles east of Ohio 26.
The road will be closed. The detour is Ohio 26 to Altitude Miller Hill Road (County Road 6). Estimated completion is Oct. 30.
¯ County Road 81 landslide repair: One lane of County Road 81 (Krebs Hill Road) is closed three miles west of Ohio 7 for a landslide repair project.
Temporary traffic signals and a 10-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is June 1.
¯ County Road 15 culvert replacement: A culvert replacement project is taking place on County Road 15, between Ohio 260 and Ohio 26.
The road is closed from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Estimated reopening date is May 13.
NOBLE COUNTY
¯ Ohio 821 tunnel grouting and landslide repair: An abandoned railroad tunnel grouting and landslide repair project begins on May 10 on Ohio 821, between Tunnel Hill Road (County Road 59) and Corwin Road (Township Road 99).
From May 10-23, one lane will be closed. A 12-foot width restriction and temporary traffic signals will be in place. The road will be closed from May 24-June 25.
ODOT's detour is Ohio 821 to Ohio 313 to I-77 to Ohio 821. From June 26-Oct, 13, one lane will be closed. A 12-foot width restriction and temporary traffic signals will be in place.
¯ Ohio 147 tree trimming: A tree trimming project is taking place on Ohio 147, between Ohio 566 and Ohio 313.
This section is closed from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Friday. Estimated completion is May 14.
¯ Ohio 147 tree trimming: A tree trimming project begins on May 17 on Ohio 147, between Ohio 313 and Ohio 513.
This section will be closed from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Friday. Estimated completion is June 11.
¯ Ohio 147 bridge project: One lane of Ohio 147 is closed between Edgewood Road (Township Road 33) and Ohio 313 for a bridge deck overlay project.
Temporary traffic signals and an 11-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is July 1.
¯ Ohio 146 culvert replacement: One lane of Ohio 146 is closed between Roberta Cleary Road (Township Road 189A) and Gould Ward Road (Township Road 1104) for a culvert replacement project.
Temporary traffic signals and an 11-foot width restriction are in place. Estimated completion is July 1.