Fewer listed in good condition in report

Fewer bridges in Lawrence County are in good condition, according to the report of Lawrence County Engineer Patrick Leighty.

“Based on our 2015 annual inspection, 88 bridges were classified as being in good condition, 189 in fair condition, 48 in poor condition and one in critical condition,” the report states. “If you compare this to the 2013 and 2014 annual bridge, you will see that we are not going in the right direction in terms of condition of our bridges.”

In 2013 there were 159 bridges in good condition; and 102 in 2014. There were 26 in poor condition in 2013 and 44 in 2014.

Last year, 7.4 miles of roadway were paved costing $728,518. That was paid for mainly with state funds. Also paved was heavily traveled County Road 31 whose condition was so bad it had become a safety matter. Cost of paving that was $610,000 and handled by Shelly Company of Thornhill.

“Maintenance is a job that we do every day at the county highway department,” Leighty said. “Our 19 highway employees work on over 376 miles and 327 bridges in nearly 450 square miles of hills and valley that make Lawrence County one of the most difficult counties in the state of Ohio to maintain roadways. Currently, we have 479 work orders from residents and from our own inspections that we form on a daily basis, which is about 20 work orders less than the same time last year.”

Three crews mow by 752 miles of roadway or 1,300 acres.

“The other major maintenance activity that we perform is roadside ditching,” Leighty said. “Since 2011 we have had at least one crew working on a daily basis to ditch our roadways and replace dilapidated culverts.”

In the design stage are County Road 410, County Road 1 and 15 and U.S, 52 interchange and U.S. 52 and Solida Road interchange.

Other projects under consideration are County Road 10A bridge replacements and County Road 29, 5, 15 and 18 resurfacing.