The Mitchell-DewittRoad/Industrial Parkway intersection will be closed beginning Tuesday as a long-awaited project to construct a roundabout begins. Officials said the intersection will be closed for approximately 90 days and they expect it to reopen to traffic in mid-August.
(Graphic submitted)
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A much talked-about road project will begin in Jerome Township next week, joining a number of other improvements that are in progress.
Union County Engineer Jeff Stauch was at the most recent trustees meeting to update local residents about which roads are changing and the timeline of those projects.
After years of intense interest from residents, improvements to the Mitchell-Dewitt Road/Industrial Parkway intersection will begin on May 28, the Tuesday following Memorial Day weekend.
Stauch noted that the addition of a roundabout should help quell the increasing number of accidents that occur there, specifically due to a combination of high speeds and a poor angle.
“Just in the last year, it seems like it’s intensifying,” he said.
Stauch has previously explained that the roundabout will be paid for by the Union County Engineer’s Officer’s annual operating budget, which includes funds generated by development in the area.
He said the first time the project was advertised, it received no bids. On a second try, bids were significantly over budget, as the project will cost $3.7 million.
The high cost of the project factored into the decision to completely close the intersection throughout completion of the roundabout. Stauch said doing so could save between $750,000 and $1 million.
Likewise, he said a complete closure is simply safer for both road crews and those traveling through the area.
“It’s going to be a little painful but in the end I think it’ll be worth it,” Stauch said.
The closure is expected to last approximately 90 days with the intersection open to traffic by mid-August.
The single-lane, 165-foot diameter roundabout was designed to account for the number of trucks and farm equipment that drive through the area.
There will be detached right-turn lanes northbound on Industrial Parkway and westbound on Mitchell-Dewitt Road.
While the posted speed limit of 50 mph will not be reduced, designers previously said a roundabout will make it difficult to drive fast through the intersection.
Stauch also highlighted the addition of a traffic signal at the intersection of Warner Road and Corporate Boulevard.
In the business-heavy area, the engineer said there is a trend of “a lot of people taking chances with left turns.”
Stauch noted that Warner Road is already slated to be widened. The road itself will remain two lanes, but each will be wider, proper shoulders will be added and ditches will be improved.
The project will now include adding a mast arm traffic signal, which looks similar to those outside of the FedEx facility on Industrial Parkway, to the intersection with Corporate Boulevard.
Jeff Bradshaw, owner of Discount Fashion Warehouse in the area, noted that there is a “tremendous amount of stressful traffic” along the business parks and said he feels the signal will make a big difference.
Stauch said repairs to the overpass on Beecher-Gamble Road over U.S. 33 are also underway.
He noted that the overpass’ elevation is the lowest permitted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), so the bridge is often damaged more severely when struck by trucks.
The bridge is completely closed for construction because a recent strike damaged both outside beams, which made it particularly unsafe. Stauch said there have also been issues in the past when travelers move signs blocking a single lane, so the complete closure was best to avoid any potential issues.
Though a smaller project, Stauch said residents in the Arnold area may also notice the removal of guardrails at the intersection of Railroad Street and U.S. 42.
In the past, the area had a steep slope that necessitated the guardrails. The engineer’s office since received the go-ahead to use the area as a dumpsite and graded the land in the area while doing so.
Now, Stauch said the guardrails pose more of a hazard than acting as a safety measure, so he gave ODOT the green light to remove them.
The engineer also gave a brief update on progress at the U.S. 42 and Industrial Parkway intersection, although the project is controlled by and completed by ODOT.
ODOT intends to add turn lanes to each leg of the intersection and widen U.S. 42 to five lanes between Industrial Parkway and U.S. 33.
Stauch said ODOT is still working on the right-of-way acquisition and has so far acquired 10 of the 24 parcels needed.
He said he expects utility relocation to begin next year. Afterward, Stauch said the project should take approximately 18 months from the start of construction to completion.
According to ODOT, construction is expected to begin in 2026.
The trustees also unanimously approved contracts with the Union County Engineer’s Office to complete hot mix resurfacing on five roads.
They include Monteray Drive, Sierra Woods Drive, Tioga Springs Circle, Carmel Drive and Sequoia Court. The projects will cost a total of $164,545.90.