MARENGO — State Rep. Margaret Ann Ruhl and Ohio Department of Transportation officials met for an informative meeting on the construction projects for I-71 in Morrow County, Thursday morning in Marengo. Many representatives from the community and other entities were also in attendance.
“We currently have over 200 projects going on under construction in our district,” said Thomas Wester, ODOT deputy directory. “District 6 has eight counties in central Ohio — Delaware, Marion, Morrow, Union, Madison, Franklin, Fayette, and Pickaway. We have approximately 200 projects at over $350 million in construction right now. We have extensive resurfacing work going on Interstate 70 and 71. We also have some very big projects on the radar screen you’ll be interesting in knowing.”
Wester briefed the audience on three major projects taking place with Interstate 71.
“On the Delaware County and Richland County line there is a design build contract on the north end of the county on a 7-mile freeway. The construction is anticipated to begin in 2011 and we will seal the contract in June of next year,” he said. “It is expected to have about two years of construction at an estimated cost of $47 million.”
The second project in the planning will be on the Delaware County line to Ohio 61 that encompasses approximately 8 1/2 to 9 miles of roadway improvements. The project received funding of $1.5 million for the design in May of this year, Wester said, and they anticipate receiving other funding for the project in fiscal year 2013-14.
Another project on the schedule is a right away project that will be done in-house. Preparation for this project is now under way but funding for this project is not planned until 2013-14 and construction 2015-16.
All the work is schedule to be completed in eight years with three lanes in each direction for Morrow County along Interstate 71 and total to cost $158 million.
kenesha.beheler@mountvernonnews.com
