By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green motorists are already seeing orange, and can expect to see a new crop of construction cones the rest of the summer.
But no pain – no gain, when it comes to roadwork.
Motorists on the east side of the city are already finding different routes to get them over Interstate 75, since two of the four overpasses in the city are currently closed for replacement.
The East Poe Road and East Gypsy Lane Road overpasses are expected to be closed through August, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Later this month, drivers on the east side of Bowling Green will encounter lane restrictions on East Wooster Street. Between the CSX railroad track and Campbell Hill Road, crews will mill off the top layer of asphalt and replace it with a new layer.
City workers have already completed some catch basin repairs, concrete repairs and underground utility work. Toward the end of July, the contractor will begin the paving project. The completion date could be as late as Nov. 1.
There will be no suggested detours, since lanes will be restricted but not closed, according to the city’s Director of Public Services Joe Fawcett.
Efforts will be made to avoid major construction work on East Wooster Street during move-in days at Bowling Green State University, and during the National Tractor Pulling Championships, both in August.
The work will move westward onto West Wooster Street later this year. That project will stretch from Church Street to Haskins Road, then turn right on Haskins all the way to the city limits near Wren Road.
The utility and curb work on West Wooster and Haskins Road will occur this year, with paving set for 2022.
ODOT officials approached the City of Bowling Green about the East Wooster Street project about five years ago to get it on the schedule. This project cost of $1.5 million will be split between ODOT and the city, with ODOT paying 80% and the city paying 20%.
The West Wooster Street/Haskins Road project will cost an estimated $2.6 million, with the city paying $520,00 and a grant paying about $2.1 million.
In general, Bowling Green’s paving projects are determined based on a pavement index that rates all of the city roads. This is combined with traffic volume and available funds to determine the specific roads that will get improvements each year, Fawcett said.
Some other projects on the city’s roadwork list are:
- A roundabout at East Wooster and Campbell Hill roads, costing an estimated $2.1 million. It will also be split with the city paying 20% and ODOT paying 80% of the bill. The roundabout project is planned for 2023.
- West Newton Road paving project from Brim Road to North Main Street planned for 2024. The $345,000 project will be split with the city paying $78,600 and a grant picking up $266,400.
- South Church Street, from Pearl to Sand Ridge Road is currently underway. The $30,000 project includes paving, ADA ramp improvements, new 5-foot sidewalks, curb replacements, and new driveway approaches.
- Devonshire, Tamarac, Cobblestone and Somerset street paving and replacement of deteriorated curbs and ADA ramps. Cost is yet to be determined. This was originally planned for this year, but may be bumped to 2022.
- South Main Street from Lehman Avenue to Gypsy Lane Road. “That’s going to be a pretty extensive project,” Fawcett said. The $1.8 million project includes new paving and the installation of a multi-use path on the west side of the street. The 2023-2024 project comes with an estimated price tag of $1.8 million, with the city picking up $483,000 and a grant paying for $1.3 million.
In response to repeated requests, the city is currently working with Poggemeyer Design Group to identify the route for a path from the community center at the corner of Haskins Road and Newton Road.
The existing path heading east along Newton Road will be paved, then extended south along Brim Road, then east on Van Camp Road. The path would then head south on city property near the Wood County Humane Society, and end up at West Poe Road between the high school and the Village subdivision.
In the future, the path may extend north on Brim Road to the Cogan’s Crossing development on Bishop Road.
The stretch on Newton Road may be completed this year, Fawcett said.
Despite numerous complaints by motorists, the repaving of Pearl Street will wait.
“It’s definitely on the list of roads we are hoping to pave in short order,” Fawcett said.
However, city officials have decided it would be good to keep Pearl Street clear during the upcoming construction project on West Wooster Street, which runs parallel to Pearl.
Mayor Mike Aspacher is looking into whether or not American Rescue Plan dollars can be used for road work.
“The mayor has identified residential paving as a potential use for ARP,” Fawcett said. “Residential paving is very high on his list.”
The city is focusing on updating sidewalks as it does street work – similar to the work completed on North Maple and Clay streets.
“To me, that’s a good example of neighborhood updates that we’ve done,” Fawcett said. “The narrow sandstone sidewalks are being updated with 5-foot wide sidewalks.”
