By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
While Ohio roads are seeing more truck traffic than ever, the gas tax revenue is still in a slump since the COVID pandemic, according to Ohio Department of Transportation District 2 Deputy Director Pat McColley.
McColley met with the Wood County Commissioners on Tuesday, and gave updates on ODOT overall and on specific projects planned in Wood County.
Truck traffic has increased by double digits since COVID, but personal vehicle traffic has not recovered, he said. McColley surmised the reason might be the increase in people ordering goods to be delivered to their homes rather than driving their own vehicles to buy the items.
While Congress puts money in the budget to keep road infrastructure budgets solvent, the state does not, McColley said.
“We’re pretty lean this year and next in all our eight counties,” said Phil Senn, ODOT district construction engineer.
At the same time, ODOT is watching as inflation continues to inflate the costs of road and bridge projects. Fewer contractors are bidding on projects, McColley said, noting that a recent $11 million project out for bids in this district just had one bidder.
ODOT officials also reported on some of the bigger projects in Wood County.
A design and build is planned for the Lime City Road overpass over Interstate 75, which was damaged earlier this year by a truck that exceeded height limits. The new overpass will be raised higher and have walkways on both sides of the bridge.
Wood County leads in the number of ODOT projects devoted to jobs and commerce. McColley said the four projects total $591,000, and includes work for the new Abbott Laboratories on the north edge of Bowling Green.
ODOT is working on another “diverging diamond” interchange, similar to the one on Ohio 25 over Interstate 475 in Perrysburg. This new one will also be in Perrysburg, at the I-75 interchange with U.S. 20. This one will be underneath I-75.
And a feasibility study is being done on widening I-475, from I-75 to the Maumee River.
Following is a list of ODOT maintenance projects in Wood County:
- U.S. 6 culvert east of Henry County line, July.
- Ohio 105 at Ohio 199 drainage upgrade.
- Route 199 at Sugar Ridge Road culvert replacement, completed in June.
- Route 199 north of Sugar Ridge Road culvert replacement.
- Ohio 18 paving work, September.
- Route 105 chip seal from Route 199 to Pemberville, June.
- Ohio 281 chip seal from Route 199 to Route 6, June.
ODOT construction projects in Wood County:
Underway:
- Full depth reconstruction of Ohio 25 nearing completion, costing $22 million. Currently closed at Powell Road, Portage.
Occurring next year:
- Resurface I-75 between Glenwood Road and Ohio 199, near I-475, costing $5.5 million.
- Resurface Interstate 280 between Ohio 51 and Ohio 2, costing $11.4 million.
- Resurface Ohio 795, and upgrade signals on Oregon Road, costing $9.7 million.
- Three culverts at Ohio 64 and Ohio 65, costing $1.2 million.
- Slope repairs at I-475/I-75, costing $200,000.
- Resurface parts of Ohio 235, and pavement repairs on Ohio 18, costing $2.2 million.
Locally let projects underway in 2023:
- Resurface Newton Road between Brim Road and Route 25, costing $685,000.
- Bridge replacement on East Broadway over Cedar Creek, costing $635,000.
- Resurface Luckey Road between Ohio 582 and U.S. 20, costing $675,000.
- Bridge replacement on Bays Road over a ditch, costing $415,000.
- Bridge replacement on Mermill Road over Bull Creek, costing $914,000.
