By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green residents may be growing weary of road construction – but more is on the way in Wood County. Those projects include a roundabout at the intersection of Brim and Bishop roads on the north edge of Bowling Green, and a possible “road diet” for Ohio 25 south of Bowling Green.
Ohio Department of Transportation officials presented their annual report on Wood County projects Tuesday to the county commissioners.
Following are some of the projects discussed:
- Interstate 75 improvements from Buck Road to South Avenue, including replacement of the DiSalle Bridge. That project will cost $185 million, and has a completion date of 2023. “There’s going to be lots and lots of ramp closures” and lane restrictions said Brian French, from ODOT.
- Ohio 64 over I-75 in Bowling Green, where roundabouts are being constructed. That project, costing $9.6 million, should be open by the end of July, and completely finished by the end of August.
- Waterville bridge over the Maumee River, costing $14.5 million. The new bridge should be open to traffic in November, with the demolition of the old bridge expected to be complete by the end of 2020.
- U.S. 23 resurfacing, north of Fostoria to Ohio 199. That $1 million project should be completed in August.
- Ohio 281 resurfacing, from Huffman Road to Route 199, is already complete.
- Ohio 582 widening between Route 199 and I-75, costing $5.7 million, was originally to be completed in October, but may be delayed.
- Buck Road and Lime City Road intersection conversion into roundabout, costing $3.6 million. The project includes installing a roundabout at Penta Career Center entrance, and should be completed by November.
The ODOT officials also discussed future projects in the Bowling Green area.
One of those is a proposed single-lane roundabout at Bishop Road and Brim Road. That project, expected to cost $1.9 million, is planned for 2024.
Another is the proposed “road diet” for Route 25, which is currently four lanes from Bowling Green to Cygnet Road.
“That’s caused some controversy,” said ODOT District 2 Director Pat McColley.
The plan calls for the four lanes to be maintained between Bowling Green and Portage, but then shift down to two lanes for the southern portion of the route.
“The traffic counts really don’t support a four-lane highway,” McColley said. “Do we really need those two extra lanes?
McColley explained ODOT has to pave and plow twice as much roadway as needed.
“It costs money to maintain,” he said.
When I-75 was four lanes, Route 25 was relied upon more. But now that I-75 has been widened to six lanes, the adjacent roadway is not as necessary, he said.
“It’s something we’re evaluating now,” McColley said.
Also at the meeting with the county commissioners, ODOT officials recognized groups that had long-term commitments with the Adopt-a-Highway program. Locally, those include Central Joint Firefighters Association, Grand Rapids Masonic Lodge, and the Nemcik family.
McColley also mentioned that ODOT currently has no litter pickup agreements with Wood County courts. He asked that the commissioners check with county judges to see if they would like to be involved. ODOT will pay for supervision of crews, he said.
