Road widening traffic delays likely due to work to aid Kettering, Beavercreek jobs hub

Traffic lanes will be maintained in both directions for residential areas and businesses, but congestion and delays are expected, according to the city.

“We will have lane restrictions. And certainly things will be slower,” Sliemers said. “So if people can use alternate routes, we’d suggest that, especially during peak hours. If they need to go through here it will be open and people will be able to get to where they need to go.”

The widening contracted to RB Jergens of Vandalia is scheduled to be completed in fall 2022, Sliemers said.

“You may have restrictions on left turn movements. If you want to turn left into one of the subdivisions that may not be possible depending on what’s happening at a certain time,” he said.

Intersections along the construction routes may be off limits at times, Sliemers said.

“The residents of the adjacent neighborhoods may have to have some slight redirection to get home or to leave if they typically use County Line,” he added.

Federal funds will cover about 60% of the project, documents state. The remaining cost will be split 50/50 by Kettering and Beavercreek.

Officials want to expand County Line because it’s a key corridor for business growth at the research park, a jobs hub that straddles Kettering and Beavercreek.

The two cities partnered to analyze traffic patterns for the project that will add a lane in each direction.

State officials have called MVRP key real estate for military-related contractors at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Earlier this year, JobsOhio announced grants to help Cleveland-based Industrial Commercial Properties redevelop a largely-vacant building on 10 acres at the park. State officials cited the site’s proximity to Wright-Patt.

Meanwhile, Life Connection of Ohio is building a new regional headquarters on about 8 acres in MVRP as it plans to move from Dayton.

The site near Woodman Drive and Research Boulevard brings it closer to Community Tissue Services, which has expanded operations at the park.

“You have a fair amount of undeveloped area, but there’s also a fair amount of developed area,” Sliemers said of the research park. “And you’ll see at peak hours that County Line Road gets quite busy. There’s a fair amount of congestion. And as it continues to develop, it’s going to get worse.”

Records show an average daily traffic count of 16,260 vehicles in 2015 is projected to grow to 21,000 by 2035.

The nearly two-thirds of a mile that will be widened is essentially the only part of a 10.5-mile route from Beavercreek to Moraine that is not five lanes, Sliemers said.

Research Boulevard begins in Beavercreek and meets County Line, which is five lanes until intersecting with Vale. County Line becomes Stroop Road south of the Dorothy Lane intersection and goes into Moraine, he added.

“So basically, we’re just completing that missing link of five-lane roadway,” he added.

Phase I of the work will be done on the east side with traffic being shifted to the west, Sliemers said.

The second part will focus on the middle of the road and vehicles will use the outside lanes.

Phase III will include work on the west side and traffic will shift to the east, he added.

The widening will also include replacing sidewalks on the west side with a 10-foot multi-use trail which connects to the existing path to the north, Kettering records show.