Fri Nov 20 2009
By LISA NICELY
PAULDING -- Fort to Port is wrapping up in Paulding County.
The project, to create a four-lane, divided highway from Toledo to Fort Wayne, will be wrapping up its Paulding County section this year.
"We're glad to see there is closure to the project on the horizon," said county Commissioner Tony Burkley.
The Paulding County section -- from U.S. 127 to the Indiana state line -- is the fourth section of the Fort to Port project to be constructed at an estimated $72.8 million. The Ohio Department of Transportation project is expected to be completed in October.
Bruce Merry, ODOT construction engineer for the Paulding/Defiance County sections, said construction is going well.
"Both projects are on schedule for completion this year barring weather problems," he said. "The completion date for both project is the end of October, early November."
In Paulding County, paving, signage, grading and seeding must still be completed.
"We have some work on the structures, but they are incidental to the main structure such as sealing work," said Merry.
Once Paulding County's section is complete, there will still be work to do down the road.
"There's projects between Napoleon and Toledo that are under construction and will be completed in future years," Merry said. "They are under construction right now and will be under construction this year."
Indiana is also working on its part of the Fort to Port project. Several of their projects are currently under construction, including the U.S. 24 segment connecting Ohio and Indiana.
"From a vision observation they should be ready when we're ready," said Merry. "That is their intention anyway."
County commissioners have several projects in the works once the U.S. 24 project is finished.
Commissioners have been looking at the intersection of U.S. 127 and the new U.S. 24 for infrastructure improvements in hopes of attracting industrial, commercial or residential development.
Among the issues commissioners are discussing is setting up a water and sewer district, which will include Cecil village to Vagabond Village. The project will replace Cecil's current treatment plant to handle all current and estimated future needs.
Burkley said that commissioners have applied for federal economic stimulus funding for the project.
"Without those funds the project would be too expensive for the people it will serve," he said, adding phase I of the project is expected to cost $2.7 million. "In lieu of that we are checking with Rural Development as far as funding including low-interest loans and grants available for the project."
Another funding scenario would be if a business or industry wanted to invest in the infrastructure in that area.
Speaking of attracting industrial and commercial development, Paulding County Economic Development office personnel said interest is still being shown by businesses because of the project.
"We are still getting interest, but it has slowed somewhat," said Tony Langham, director of economic development. "As it (the project) nears completion, is completed and cars are driving on it, there will be more interest. The four-lane U.S. 24 is a definite asset to Paulding County and northwest Ohio."
Langham said most businesses that have called just have general questions about the Fort to Port project and the area.
"Mostly they've been from industries who just in general require that their plants be within a close proximity to a four-lane highway," he said. "We were never able to offer that before."
While work is progressing on the U.S. 24 project, several roadways have been closed in the county to allow for the construction.
County Road 115 from County Road 232 to Road 224 will be closed until June 1. County Road 143 at the new U.S. 24 and County Road 8 will also be closed until June 1.
Two county roads will permanently close because of the new U.S. 24. Those are County Road 180 west of Road 61 and County Road 33 west of Ohio 49.
County Engineer Travis McGarvey said other than the two road closings, the new U.S. 24 project won't really affect county roadways.
"The biggest change we will see with the new U.S. 24 is the mowing and the snow removal. ... (There) will be an increase in what we need to do," he said.
The current route of U.S. 24 from the Defiance-Paulding County line to the Indiana state line will be turned over to Paulding County in November.
"The old highway, when it comes, it will be in pretty good condition," said McGarvey. "The state has agreed to repave the section that they will give to us. We don't feel there will be a lot of maintenance on that section the first few years."
Part of that section being turned over to the county includes the New Rochester rest area between Cecil and Antwerp.
"The building will be removed to make the area more maintainable," said Burkley. "ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) has an interest in preserving it as a park area as well."
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
Crescent-News.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Defiance Publishing, LLC 1995-2009. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications