Tribune editorial board

Cost overruns. Delays. Traffic nightmares. Questionable funding in the future. Those phrases have been a constant concern - and too often a reality - since construction of the Chesapeake Bypass, now known as the Tri-State Metro Outer Belt, first began.

The latest news coming from the eastern portion of the county is that the weather has, yet again, delayed construction of Phase 1B of the project. Those delays have pushed the price tag up another $2 million to date. And that price tag could continue to increase if delays continue.

Anyone surprised should seek medical help in an effort to regain his or her common sense.

The project seems to have become a money pit of sorts for Ohio Department of Transportation administrators.

With good intentions, ODOT keeps pouring money into the project, but portions of those funds keep getting washed away with rains and other delays.

We see a couple of problems with the project as it sits now.

First, ODOT should have done a better job in estimating potential costs. The awful problems created earlier were made worse when ODOT's Transportation Review Advisory Council opted not to fund Phase 2 of the project, a decision that still baffles us.

The decision put a number of property owners in limbo. The property owners suddenly found themselves holding deeds to property with little value because everyone knew ODOT planned to raze any structures on the property as soon as it decided road construction could commence.

Second, we think ODOT should be forced to only accept bids from Ohio companies. Doing so would guarantee the state would benefit a little when cost overruns occur, some of which are almost inevitable in such projects.

If the construction company were located in the state, any extra funds they receive would at least be helping Ohio's tax base.

Despite those concerns, one thing is simple: The project has lingered on long enough. It needs to be finished.