Montgomery County in Ohio plans to spend about $21 million improving the its streets and bridges in the coming years.
According to the Dayton Daily News, the projects include more than $2.7 million for asphalt resurfacing this year, a $900,000 roundabout at the intersection of Mad River Road and Alex Bell Road and an estimated $4 million Shoup Mill Road reconstruction project scheduled to start in 2024.
"We schedule projects based on the funding we're able to get and sometimes in order to get the funding we have to schedule a couple of them in the same year that we maybe wouldn't otherwise," said Paul Gruner, the Montgomery County Engineer.
Inflation is impacting the plans, and Gruner said the projects that were bid out in late 2021 and early 2022 didn't see the impact of inflation like those that were issued in March.
"We had to rebid a couple of projects because the bids came into too high, so we are seeing it just like everybody else is," Gruner said.
Construction began Monday on a bridge on Little York Road between Peters Pike and North Dixie Drive, estimated to take about 68 days.
Montgomery county has more than 500 bridges, more than any other county in Ohio. Many of them are in need of improvements.
The Montgomery County Commission held a hearing this week and approved replacing a 90-year-old bridge that takes Airway Road over Lilly Creek in Riverside. The construction for the project is expected to begin in March 2023 and last through November 2023.
The project will also include a new safety railing, pavement upgrades, new bike lanes and other improvements.
"Montgomery County is always working to maintain the roads and bridges that residents use every day," Montgomery County Commission President Carolyn Rice said. "We couldn't do this without the support of our State and Federal partners, who provide additional funds. This year, we are building the first roundabout on a major road in the County. We try to minimize inconvenience to road users and drivers can assist by using extra caution around work crews to ensure everyone's safety."
------------
Sources: Dayton Daily News, Yahoo News
