Replacing 80-year-old bridge to close area traffic, cause detours

A West Carrollton bridge near downtown will close Friday for about four months as it is replaced with a larger structure in a project that will cause traffic detours.

The 80-year-old Elm Street bridge – which the city has said is in dire condition - will come down in favor of one more than three times longer $1.45 million project the city has been seeking to complete for at least three years.

Appraisal of the bridge “indicated that the structure condition is critical and is in need of replacement,” according to West Carrollton Engineer Rich Norton. “There was a load reduction and sidewalk closure posted on the existing bridge. The proposed bridge structure has a useful life of 50 years.”

Sunesis Construction of West Chester Twp. was awarded the bid last year to replace the bridge, a structure about a quarter mile south of downtown that has been weight-limited for several years.

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The work will cause Elm Street to close from Gibbons Road to Maplehill Drive, but access to all adjacent homes on Elm will remain open, according to the city.

Gibbons will be open during construction and the detour will route traffic using it, Alex Road and King Richard Parkway, city officials said.

Signage indicating the detour and any road closings will be posted. There will not be access through Harry Russell Elementary school parking lots, but West Carrollton schools have planned bus routes accordingly, according to the city.

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The bridge will be replaced with a 78-feet span to meet flood plain requirements for Owl Creek, which flows beneath it, West Carrollton officials said.

The city had projected a cost of $1,058,513.19 that the city plans to finance with a 50 percent grant through the Ohio Public Works Commission and a loan, officials said.

An additional $390,000 was budgeted for design, right of way and construction contingencies. That included buying two houses that were demolished, according to the city.

Construction is set to be complete by Aug. 4, city records show.

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