By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The cost of maintaining county roads and bridges may cause sticker shock for many motorists using them.
This year, nearly 30 miles of county roadways will be resurfaced for an estimated $6.2 million. Six small bridges will be replaced for $1.5 million.
“The cost of asphalt has gone up. Concrete has gone up. Labor has gone up,” Wood County Engineer John Musteric said after meeting with the county commissioners on Tuesday to give them a list of the road and bridge projects for 2021.
“We always wish for more, but we always know there’s a reality,” Wood County Commissioner Doris Herringshaw said of the proposed projects.
Over the last few years, the county commissioners have tried to help with the escalating road and bridge repair costs by sharing funding with the engineer’s office. In 2018, it was $1.8 million. In 2019, it was the promise of $200,000 in sales tax revenue each of the next five years.
“They realize how difficult it is,” Musteric said of the county commissioners.
This year the engineer’s office will be repaving some of the worst county roads, Musteric said.
“They’re all a challenge,” but some are particularly unpleasant to drive down – like sections of Luckey Road and Emerson Road.
“The rideability is pretty bad,” Musteric said. “But it’s going to get smoothed out.”
Microsurfacing will also be done on about 15 miles of the roughest roads in the county.
“It really gives it a nice ride,” he told the commissioners.
The county also has 441 bridges to maintain. Six are planned for replacement this year.
“These bridges are spread all over,” Musteric said.
An estimated 10% of the county’s bridges currently have load limits. The engineer’s office is continuing efforts to enforce the limits.
“We’re trying to educate people to stay off the load limited bridges,” Musteric said.
Following are the 2021 proposed road projects:
Oregon Road from Northwood city limits to the Ohio Turnpike
- 3.64 miles
- $3.2 million total cost, with $2.2 million in federal funding and $1 million in county funding
- Will include a bike path along the roadway
Oregon Road from U.S. 20 to the Ohio Turnpike bridge
- 1.7 miles
- $259,875 total cost, paid by county.
Luckey Road from Ohio 105 to Sugar Ridge Road
- 1.6 miles
- $441,100 total cost, paid by the county
Emerson Road from Jerry City Road to Ohio 281
- 2 miles
- $905,676 in total cost, with $412,500 from Ohio Public Works Commission grant and loan, and $493,176 from the county
Huffman Road from Eagleville Road to Bull Creek bridge
- 2.2 miles
- $400,200 total cost, paid for by the county
Custar Road from Ohio 18 to Jerry City Road
- 3.5 miles
- $487,872 total cost, paid by the county
Microsurfacing roads
- 15 miles
- Paid for with $587,858 from the county commissioners
- Potential roads: Bays, Wayne, Pemberville, Tracy and East Broadway
Following are the 2021 proposed bridge projects:
Hull Prairie Road Bridge
- Located just north of Roachton Road in Perrysburg Township
- Estimated cost of $850,000
Stony Ridge Bridge
- Over Toussaint Creek, just north of Ohio 582 in Webster Township
- Estimated cost of $125,000
Gorrill Road Bridge
- Just west of the Mitchell Road intersection in Bowling Green
- Estimated cost of $130,000
Cloverdale Road Bridge
- South of Jerry City Road in Bloom Township
- Estimated cost of $125,000
Mears Road Bridge
- Located between Tank Farm Road and Yates Road in Bloom Township
- Estimated cost of $140,000
Long Judson Road Bridge
- West of the Tontogany Road intersection, in Plain and Washington townships
- Estimated cost of $150,000
