ThisWeek CW 05/23/2013
Summer road construction projects are in full swing in and around Canal Winchester, Groveport and Madison Township.
Officials in each community are asking drivers to be patient and cautious traveling through the construction areas.
The recently approved Groveport Town Center project will include some on-street construction at the corner of Main and Front streets.
“Construction will hopefully begin about Aug. 1,” Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall said. “We’re finalizing the schedule over the next two weeks. There should be very little disruption on the streets during construction, other than during the short period when the parking spaces, sidewalk and lights will be installed along Main Street.”
Ultimately, the project will provide additional parallel parking spots along the north side of Main Street, as well as 30 new public parking spots in the lot to be built as a part of the project.
Water line upgrades in Canal Winchester as part of the Tank Town project continue to create limited-access situations on streets throughout that neighborhood. Canal Winchester Public Works Director Matt Peoples expects this to continue through the estimated completion date of Aug. 25.
Work on water line upgrades in Madison Township has already resulted in the resurfacing of several Blacklick Estates streets by Aqua Water, which has agreed to split the cost of the resurfacing for Talford and Tremaine courts, as well.
Aqua Water is responsible for resurfacing Talford Court but is working with the township to provide access so the road crews can also resurface Tremaine Court while they are on site.
Township Roads Superintendent Terry Spangler said details are still being negotiated between the township and Aqua Water, but the resurfacing work is expected to be completed over the summer months by Strawser Paving Co., which is already under contract with Aqua Water.
In Groveport, the Richardson Road bridge closed April 15 for reconstruction, which is nearly a month ahead of schedule, Hall said. The original completion was anticipated to be mid-July, but it could happen in June, she said.
“This is a total bridge reconstruction with the road closed completely, so we’re pleased with how far ahead of schedule Franklin County is,” Hall said “They currently have two crews working on it.”
Franklin County also is in the process of rehabilitating the Lithopolis-Winchester Road bridge this year, which will result in temporary road closures in early June and while resurfacing is finished.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is working on state Route 317, a project that Hall said will continue to include lane closures during resurfacing but will not result in any total road closures. Groveport also is awaiting approval from ODOT for its Safe Routes to School plan, which could provide 90-percent funding for new sidewalks along Wirt Road.
“The Safe Routes to School program is a lengthy one to get started; however, it is well worth the wait, since we would receive 90-percent funding for sidewalks,” Hall said. “After the plan is approved by ODOT, then we can apply for the infrastructure funding. This is something I will be working on this summer.”
Finally, paint striping on Bixby Road in Groveport is expected to be finished in early June, Hall said.