Motorists traveling to U.

Wednesday, June 07, 2000

Motorists traveling to U.S. 52 from Chesapeake might encounter some delays this week.

A project to repair a Lawrence County U.S. 52 bridge that was damaged during a traffic collision began Tuesday, said John F. Hagen, Ohio Department of Transportation District 9 deputy director.

"Whenever a bridge is damaged during a collision, there’s always the chance the structure has been weakened," Hagen said. "As a result, the Ohio Department of Transportation always strives to repair the damage as soon as possible."

Earlier this spring, a trailer carrying a piece of excavating equipment hit the underside of the bridge. This incident caused damage to structural steel bridge members and the surrounding concrete, said Holly Snedecor-Gray, ODOT District 9 public information officer.

To protect the traveling public until the bridge could be repaired, ODOT set up barrels on the bridge to keep traffic away from the damaged area, Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said.

Crews from Flame On Inc. of Snohomish, Wash., have been contracted to do the work on the bridge, which is located on the U.S. 52 ramp leading to the 17th Street Bridge. The bridge spans Ohio 7.

Throughout the project, motorist can expect to encounter lane restrictions on Ohio 7 underneath the bridge. Traffic will be maintained in at least one lane in each direction at all times, Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said.

The project, which costs about $25,000, is scheduled for completion July 15; however, it will probably be completed much earlier than that, she said.

"It will probably take about a week," Mrs. Snedecor-Gray said. "The project shouldn’t have that much impact."

Also in Lawrence County:

– Motorists traveling in the westbound lanes of U.S. 52 can expect to encounter lane restrictions at Hanging Rock in connection with the project to clean rock and debris out of ditches and off hillside ledges.

U.S. 52 also might be closed for short durations if crews have to blast large rocks into smaller pieces or push debris off ledges.

Crews will be located at Hanging Rock for the rest of next week before moving east and cleaning several locations between Hanging Rock and the junction of Lawrence County Road 1.

The project is scheduled to be completed Aug. 31.

– A bridge painting project will continue this week about two-tenths of a mile west of the junction of Ohio 93 and U.S. 52.

Motorists might encounter lane restrictions in the westbound and/or eastbound lanes of U.S. 52 during the project. Traffic will be maintained in at least one lane in each direction at all times.

Traffic on Lawrence Street underneath the bridge also will be maintained in one lane with the aid of flaggers when crews are working in the roadway.

The project is expected to be completed in mid-June.

– A flood damage repair project might cause sporadic lane restrictions on Ohio 243 about one-eighth of a mile north of Township Road 1178, which is about halfway between Getaway and Bradrick.

When crews are working in the roadway, traffic will be maintained in one lane with the aid of flaggers.

The project is scheduled for completion by June 15.

– Motorists traveling Ohio 378 should consider a detour. That route is scheduled to be closed weekdays during daytime hours in connection with a landslide stabilization project.

The project will be located about two-tenths of a mile south of the junction of Symmes Creek-Yellow Creek Road, which is between Linnville and Aid.

Ohio 378 will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the closure, traffic will be detoured onto Ohio 141 and Ohio 217. Between 3 p.m. and 8:30 a.m., Ohio 378 traffic will be maintained in one lane with the aid of temporary traffic signals.

The project is expected to be completed by June 30.