ODOT District 9 launches largest construction season in history

With several road projects already under way, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) officially launches its 2012 road construction season, announcing approximately 800 transportation preservation projects throughout the Buckeye State.

“We sometimes forget how a well-maintained transportation system supports the state’s overall economy,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray. “With more than $438 billion in goods shipped annually by trucks – the third largest of any state – a reliable transportation system is not only the lifeblood of Ohio businesses but also the catalyst for future expansion and job creation.”

With a total cost of $1.8 billion, the 800 preservation projects include resurfacing 3,700 miles of interstate and state routes as well as repairs, upgrades, improvements and maintenance to hundreds of bridges, culverts, guardrails, interchanges and hillsides.

Currently, ODOT maintains and preserves nearly 50,000 lane miles of interstates and highways – enough to make two trips around Earth.

And from projects that address safety needs to improving maintenance facilities in the some of the district’s counties, ODOT District 9 will launch its largest construction season in district history. With more than 90 projects to be awarded through the calendar year, District 9 will boast a budget of nearly $167 million dollars through the first half of Fiscal Year 2013.

Key to this year’s construction program are projects like the intersection improvement at state Route 73 and County Road 18H (Jaybird Road) in Adams County. The $754,673 improvement project, which is slated to begin in early May, will realign the intersection of these two roads and add a left-turn lane, thereby improving safety and the transportation of goods for those traveling onto Jaybird Road.

“This project serves as a terrific example of ODOT’s objective to build projects that not only improve safety but also enhance capacity,” said District 9 Deputy Director Vaughn Wilson.