Meeting between ODOT, mayor fruitful

The bridge is back on track.

Six weeks after announcing the Ironton-Russell Bridge project would be pushed back until summer 2012, the Ohio Department of Transportation has reversed its position in favor of an earlier timetable.

Ironton Mayor Rich Blankenship said he was informed Thursday morning that Ohio Department of Transportation Officials have decided not to wait until next summer to award a bid for the Ironton-Russell Bridge project; it will instead be advertised for bid within the next few weeks and then the bid awarded in mid-December.

“This is very, very good news for Lawrence County,” Blankenship said.

Blankenship said he and a representative from State Rep. Terry Johnson’s office went to Columbus to meet with ODOT Director Jerry Wray after the announcement six weeks ago and presented the reasons why the project, which has had numerous delays over the years, should not be delayed again.

In the end, Wray agreed.

“We wanted to do our due diligence and explore all options for providing a new and safe bridge to Ironton in the most cost-efficient way,” Wray said. “After looking at all the options, we’ve decided to move forward using traditional public funding to build the bridge.”

That means the bridge will be an entirely state-funded project. One idea floated earlier this year was that the bridge might be financed through public sector assistance, which could have meant a crossing toll.

“I told them this (private sector-public sector joint venture) could be fine for future projects but not this one; this project is ready to go,” Blankenship said. “The $85 million has already been allocated for this.”

Wray praised the mayor and Johnson for their determination in pushing the bridge project.

“Ironton has great representatives in State Representative Terry Johnson and Ironton Mayor Rich Blankenship,” Wray said. “They were passionate advocates, and we look forward to continuing to work with them throughout the project.”

Blankenship pointed out that while the bridge is first and foremost a transportation necessity, it is also an economic development tool that is apt to spin off numerous other developments while it is being built and after its completion, not to mention the construction jobs associated with it.

“It seems like southern Ohio oftentimes gets the short end of the stick,” Blankenship said. “I have made it a point to represent Ironton in a professional manner and let them know we are a part of Ohio and deserve just as much as anyplace else these types of projects.”

In August, ODOT District 9 officials met with local leaders and advised them the project bid date was being pushed from October 2011 to June 2012 and that the bridge project was being lumped in with the Portsmouth Bypass in an effort to use a private-public funding program that new legislation will allow them to use.