Road construction on Scotts Lawn Road will have a “profound impact” on the attendees of the All Ohio Balloon Fest this August, Union County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Mike Justice said.
Traffic coming from Columbus will be especially affected because the westbound exit onto Scotts Lawn Road will be closed. Traffic coming from that direction should exit onto U.S. 42 and take Industrial Parkway to Weaver Road, Justice said. Extra signs will be placed on U.S. 33 and U.S. 42 to navigate traffic.
Using that route will “help alleviate traffic issues” in the city.
Half of the bridge on Scotts Lawn Road has been demolished and new beams have been installed, Nancy Burton with the Ohio Department of Transportation said. The project is “on schedule,” she added.
“The weather has been wonderful, and we hope it continues,” Burton said.
Semi-trucks using the Scotts Lawn exit are encouraged to use the truck detour on Industrial Parkway because the bridge is too narrow to accommodate vehicles with wide turns.
Drivers are also encouraged to be patient with the single stoplight on the bridge or to seek alternate routes.
Marysville residents driving to the festival should take U.S. 33 east to Scotts Lawn to the Weaver Road entrance or Chestnut Street to Weaver Road. There will be two inbound lanes of traffic at Weaver Road, which is the main entrance for this year’s balloon fest.
Clymer Road will be closed and primarily used for emergency vehicles, vendors, volunteers and motorcycles.
The modified traffic routes are not the only new aspect of the All Ohio Balloon Fest. Added to the entertainment lineup is country singer Karen Waldrup, who will perform before Clint Black on Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. Clint Black will take the stage at 8:30 p.m.
Waldrup said she is looking forward to performing in a city she has never been to before because she “walks out with a whole new family.”
Smaller venues allow for more interaction with people and flexibility in the set list, she said. When she performs for larger crowds, she has to stick to her set, but if someone in the front row wants to hear a certain song, she can go with it at the spur of the moment, she added.
Waldrup is known for her songs “I Got That Kind of Time,” “Does She Pour Your Whisky” and “Trashy Crashed the Party.”
She is currently working on her first full-length, “dream” album called Justified. The album is being completely crowd funded by donations from almost 700 people.
“It’s really the most beautiful thing about this record,” she said.
In the past, Waldrup had to “scrape pennies together” to put together an EP, but with the donations from fans, she is able to take her time on the album.
“I sacrificed everything for this album,” she said. “I’m going to take my time.”
Waldrup anticipates the album will be out by the end of the year, and she will release a single soon, she said.
Those who wish to connect with Waldrup can do so on Facebook, she said, where she posts weekly videos and interacts with fans.
For tickets to see Waldrup, visit ticketfly.com. More information on the festival can be found at allohioballoonfest.com.
KAREN WALDRUP