Drivers may notice that there’s a lot of color along the highways in the summer.

Tuesday, June 19, 2001

Drivers may notice that there’s a lot of color along the highways in the summer.

Blue skies, green grass, multicolor wildflowers and orange signs…orange signs?

That’s right, it is summer and time for road crews to put on hardhats and reflective vest and converge on the highways to catch up on some housekeeping.

According to information from the Ohio Department of Transportation, the highway department entered this year with a construction budget of $1.2 billion.

The work in Lawrence County will include:

– Paving U.S. 52 from approximately the 2-mile to the 5-mile markers near Hanging Rock. Four lanes will be resurfaced at a cost of $1.65 million. Contracts for the work will likely be let in November, but resurfacing probably won’t start until spring 2002.

– Replacement of three bridges on County Road 17 (Rankins Creek Road) at the 3.55, 4.95 and 5.22 mile markers, between the intersecting points of Ohio 243 at a cost of $570,000.

Statewide, travelers will also encounter some construction work that may delay holiday travel. The following projects will be ongoing throughout the state:

– Interstate 71 in Delaware, Franklin, Hamilton, Richland and Ashland counties.

– Interstate 75 in Montgomery and Hancock counties.

– Interstate 77 in Noble, Stark and Guernsey counties.

-Interstate 70 in Franklin, Guernsey and Belmont counties.

– Interstate 90 in Cuyahoga and Lake counties.

– Interstate 480 in Cuyahoga County.