It was an opportunity for the public to hear about the projects the Ohio Department of Transportation has planned for the county.

ODOT held its State Transportation Improvement Program meeting Thursday at Ohio University Southern. The meetings are held every two years to update the public on the department’s four-year tentative plan.

The informational open house-style meetings are required for any federally-funded project ODOT does, which is the vast majority of them, said Kathleen Fuller, public information officer for District 9 ODOT.

During the meetings, the department takes comments from the public about each of the projects.

“Typically we don’t get a lot of the general public,” Fuller said, adding that several elected officials attended but few others were there. “We’d like to see more.”

ODOT projects are decided based on budget, priority and need, said Toby Smalley, program manager for District 9.

In Lawrence County, ODOT has six projects on tap for the fiscal year 2012, which starts in July. The projects include an approximately $85 million replacement of the Ironton-Russell Bridge, which is scheduled to go to bid this fall. Other projects include phase one and two of sidewalks on Delaware and Second streets in Ironton through the Safe Routes to School program, a $714,000 bridge replacement on County Road 22, approximately $1.6 million resurfacing work on State Route 93 and bench cleaning – or clearing rock from the hillside near the roadway – in various locations on U.S. Route 52 and State Route 7.

For the fiscal year 2013, ODOT is planning $1 million traffic improvements in Ironton, approximately $1.4 million intersection improvement at the intersection of Charlie Creek and U.S. Route 52, resurfacing on State Route 93, State Route 140 and State Route 141 and slide repair on State Route 378 and State Route 775.

In fiscal year 2014, a bridge on State Route 7 is planned to be replaced for approximately $3.4 million, an intersection will be improved on State Route 93 for $792,000 and State Route 217 will be resurfaced for approximately $1.4 million.

For the fiscal year 2015, ODOT is planning guardrail replacement on County Road 12 and County Road 18 for $300,000, bridge replacement on State Route 217 for approximately $1.3 million and resurfacing on State Route 650 for approximately $1.5 million.

The plans are tentative and may change, Fuller said.

Comments concerning the projects will be accepted by April 18 by email at STIP@dot.state.oh.us. They can also be mailed to:

Jennifer Townley, Acting Deputy Director

Division of Planning

Ohio Department of Transportation

1980 West Broad St.

Columbus, OH 43223