Pictured is a rendering of the new Main Street Bridge after renovations wrap up in June. The new structure will feature widened pedestrian walkways, railings and barriers between the sidewalk and roadway.
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Commuters who travel Main Street will have to temporarily alter their work route sooner rather than later.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) told the City of Marysville Monday it will close the Main Street Bridge for improvements earlier than expected.
Officials said the project will now begin Feb. 19. ODOT previously said the closure would likely begin in March. Under the new date, the bridge is scheduled to reopen June 19.
“We’re supportive of them getting the project done sooner rather than later,” said Marysville Public Services Director Mike Andrako.
According to an email from ODOT Public Information Officer Nancy Burton, utility relocation on the site was completed sooner than expected. Roadway signage will be put out a week prior to construction, Burton wrote.
“Starting a bridge replacement sooner is always better than later,” she wrote.
The project costs the city nothing. All $3 million for the work is being covered by the State of Ohio.
Work to prepare the bridge began last year, with crews redirecting utilities and clearing vegetation.
A detour route has already been planned, using Elwood Avenue, Maple Street and Stocksdale Drive. A truck detour will take vehicles north of the project on Routes 347 and 31.
City officials said the bridge is nearing the end of its life, making replacement needed. In her email, Burton wrote the bridge was built in 1929, and was last renovated in 1983.
According to Andrako, ODOT informed the city the project could get moved up last week, but didn’t confirm anything. The state confirmed Monday plans had changed.
Andrako said the city was supportive of the change, though officials had already spoken to Uptown businesses and pushed the original March timeframe. Andrako said abrupt change is “a little frustrating,” but said the new date is a positive overall.
He said the city will spend the coming weeks getting word of the new date out to residents and businesses.
According to a fact sheet available on the city’s website, the replacement will include upgrades to sidewalks on the bridge, including “decorative fencing and a concrete barrier between pedestrian and vehicular traffic.”
Andrako said the city worked with ODOT in order to ensure the improvements to the sidewalk were added. He said the new walkways will be a “big improvement.”
“It’s going to be a lot more pedestrian friendly,” he said.
Through the course of the project, members of Marysville City Council have expressed concern for how the project will impact school bus routes. Andrako said city officials have been in contact with Marysville Schools throughout the project. He said he has also notified school officials of the new start date.
He said he believes the school district is figuring out how to deal with the closure internally.
“They didn’t seem to have a problem with it,” he said. “I haven’t heard anything negative.”
Assistant Superintendent Jonathan Langhals said the district’s transportation team is working out how the closure will affect busing.
“There could be minimal to no impact,” he said.
He said once the district determines how, or if, it needs to alter any routes, impacted families will be notified. He said the district will likely being reaching out to families about a week before the closure begins.
“That would give plenty of time for adjustments,” Langhals said.
If changes are needed, he said the district will try making the impact to students and families as low as possible.
Langhals said the district appreciates the city has kept it informed through every step of the process.
“The city’s been really good about communicating with us,” he said.