Crews began work today ahead of schedule, Greene County Engineer Stephanie Goff said, adding that this project “will save lives.”
The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Monday that it is investing a record $2.5 billion into more than 1,000 projects during this year’s construction season.
“It’s that time of year when the orange barrels will be popping up across the state,” said Carrie Hester, ODOT District 7 Construction Engineer. “Those barrels are a sign of progress.”
This year, ODOT is working on almost 200 construction projects in southwest Ohio, Hester said, many of which are improving the state’s current infrastructure, and “ensuring motorists have the best possible commute.”
The current U.S. 35 and Trebein intersection has several safety issues and suffers from congestion problems, officials said. During peak times, vehicles back up on Trebein beyond Dayton-Xenia Road to the north, up the hill to the U.S. 35 ramp to the east, as well as on U.S. 35 toward Dayton.
Goff said many of the crashes that occur at the intersection are “truck vs. car,” which can be some of the deadliest.
“To everyone who’s involved in the design and construction of this project...your work will save lives. You’ll reduce congestion and you’ll reduce the opportunity for severe crashes,” said Beavercreek Twp. Trustee Tom Kretz. “This project will improve the daily commute for local residents and the thousands of people that pass through Greene County on the way to other places.”
In Montgomery County, a reconfiguration of the interchange of U.S. 35 at Woodman Drive is under construction, turning the intersection into a “tight urban diamond,” as well as replacing the bridge deck and installing sidewalks on the road, Hester said. Rehabilitation and resurfacing on various sections of Interstate 75, both north and south of the city of Dayton, is also ongoing.
Statewide, ODOT’s construction program includes 31 “major” new projects priced above $10 million. There are 190 safety projects aimed at reducing serious or deadly crashes. More than 5,700 miles of pavement will be improved, and 823 bridges will be repaired or replaced, according to the agency.
Additionally, about 95 cents of every dollar are being put back into preserving existing roads and bridges, officials said.
Department of Transportation leaders emphasized that it’s important for the public to pay attention while driving in construction zones. There were 4,628 work zone-related crashes in Ohio last year, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Those crashes killed 23 people, and 85 involved serious injuries.
“We can’t stress it enough that we need to slow down in the work zones,” said ODOT District 8 Deputy Director Tammy Campbell. “Speeds are reduced and there’s always something going on.”
ODOT workers, vehicles and equipment were hit 133 times in 2022, a number that is “unacceptable,” Campbell said.
“These work centers are the offices of our men and women while they are on these projects,” said Hester. “They want to go home at the end of the day to their loved ones just like everyone else. So please pay attention. Move over and slow down.”
List of major 2023 ODOT projects
Greene County
* $40 million for constructing an interchange at the intersection of US 35 and Valley/Trebein Road, west of Xenia. Project includes upgrading 1.28 miles of US 35 to a limited-access facility, bridge construction, retaining wall construction, and upgrades to Valley and Trebein roads at the intersection.
* $12.6 million for resurfacing and complete pavement repairs on SR 72 in Greene County from about 0.26 miles north of the westbound US-35 exit ramp to the Cedarville southern corp. limit near Turnbull Road.
* $4.9 million for resurfacing and pavement repairs on US 35 from the interchange with Old US 35 to the Fayette County line.
* $2.9 million for resurfacing and pavement repairs on SR 72 from north of Turnbull Road to the Clark County line.
Warren County
* $4.73 million for ongoing construction of an on-ramp from southbound Mason-Montgomery Road to southbound I-71.
* $3.5 million for bridge rehabilitation projects on Irwin Simpson Road over I-71, on Waynesville Road over I-71, and on Stubbs Mill Road over I-71.
* $3.42 million for construction of a 10-foot-wide shared use path in Franklin. A bridge will be used for the bike path to cross Clear Creek just north of Hazelwood Park, and the bike path will cross under the I-75 bridge over Clear Creek.
* $3.3 million for bridge rehabilitation on SR 73 over the Little Miami River at Waynesville and replacement of the bridge on SR 73 over Corwin Nixon Road and the Little Miami Bike Path near the intersection with Corwin Road.
* $3 million for resurfacing SR 48, between Loveland and the northern corporation limit of Maineville and from the northern corporation limit of Lebanon to SR 73, as well as on SR 122, between SR 123 and SR 48.
Montgomery County
* $51.4 million for major rehabilitation of Interstate 75 by rebuilding with asphalt between State Route 741 and Dixie Drive Interchanges.
* $38 million for major rehabilitation of Interstate 75 pavement by rebuilding with asphalt between State Route 4 and Needmore Road Interchanges.
* $10.3 million for reconfiguring the U.S. Route 35/Woodman Drive interchange into a tight urban diamond. Replacing bridge deck and installing sidewalk on Woodman Drive.
* $7.5 million for bridge deck replacement and other structural repairs on State Route 4 over Webster Street and Keowee Street.
* $3.25 million for resurfacing and installation of curb, gutter, sidewalk, storm infrastructure and lighting on West Springfield Street. The roadway will be altered from four lanes to two lanes with a center left turn lane and bicycle facilities in Riverside.
* $2.75 million for reconstruction of Salem Avenue from Cornell Drive to Manhattan Drive including new street pavement, curb, sidewalk, streetlights, and drainage in Dayton.
Miami County
* $6.3 million for West Main Street corridor improvements in Troy from west of Ridge Avenue intersection to Interstate 75 northbound ramps. Improvements include widening of the street, reconstruction of the sidewalk and curb lawn, upgrading the signal at Dorset Road, upsizing a watermain and improving the stormwater system along the corridor.
* $4.3 million for resurfacing and related work on Interstate 75 from County Road 25A interchange in Piqua to just south of the rest areas. Including rest area parking lots in the northbound and southbound direction.
* $2.1 million for replacement of the existing inadequate pedestrian bikeway bridge with an ADA accessible bridge located in a more scenic location on the south side of Piqua.
* $1.9 million for removal and replacement of deficient structures on Interstate 75 over Rush Creek (near the Piqua Country Club). Resurfacing and related work on I-75 between the Shelby County line and County Road 25A interchange. Remaining work involves resurfacing of I-75 north and south of the bridge replacement.
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