The following is a weekly report concerning highway construction projects within the Ohio Department of Transportation District 1 which includes the counties of Allen, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Wyandot. For the latest in construction information visit the Ohio Transportation Information System (OTIS) at the Ohio Department of Transportation web site at http://www.dot.state.oh.us

Allen County
Ohio 66 (Main Street), Ohio 697 (Second Street) from Main Street to State Street, and Ohio 190 from Fifth Street to the Putnam County line, Delphos – Paving work began May 5 with traffic maintained through the work zone. Work is expected to take two weeks to complete. Work is being performed by Bluffton Paving.

Berm work at the following locations will reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone. Work is being performed by Allen County ODOT.
-Ohio 117 from Lima to the Auglaize County line
-Ohio 196 from Ohio 117 to Auglaize County line

U.S. 30 roadside rest area parks east of Ohio 65, Cairo – Both the eastbound and the westbound parks were closed April 14 until late May to allow for the repair and upgrade of the water system. No portion of the parks will be accessible during the closure. Work is being performed by Jameson Well Drilling, Mansfield.

Defiance County
There are no projects scheduled during the week which will have a significant effect on traffic.

(For updates on U.S. 24 construction, please see the section dedicated to the project at the end of this report.)

Hancock County
U.S. 68 through the village of Arlington – Pavement repair will require one-lane traffic through the work zone Monday through Wednesday of the week. Work is being performed by Hancock County ODOT.

U.S. 68/Ohio 15 over Lima Avenue, Findlay – A project to replace the concrete deck on U.S. 68/Ohio 15 over Lima Avenue at the south edge of Findlay began March 31. One-lane traffic in each direction on U.S. 68/Ohio 15 will be maintained at all times during construction which will continue through September. Because of the construction, the entrance ramp to northbound U.S. 68/Ohio 15 from Lima Avenue is closed for the duration of the project. The exit ramp from U.S. 68/Ohio 15 to Lima Avenue closed April 17 for an estimated 60 days to allow the City of Findlay to replace a culvert. Wide loads are detoured onto U.S. 23, Ohio 15 and U.S. 6 back to Interstate 75. Work is being performed by Complete General Construction.

Hardin County
Ohio 67 near the intersection with CR100 and CR215, east of Kenton – Road closed May 5 for 45 days for bridge replacement project. Traffic detoured onto Ohio 309 and Ohio 37 back to Ohio 67. Work is being performed by R & I Construction, Tiffin.

Paulding County
Ohio 500 between Township Road 95 and Township Road 93 – Cutting of trees may reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone. Work is being performed by Paulding County ODOT.

Ohio 500 at two locations, two miles east of the Indiana state line and two and a half miles west of Ohio 111 – Culvert replacement at two locations will close the route for five days beginning May 27. Traffic detoured onto Indiana 101, U.S. 30, Ohio 49 and Ohio 111 back to Ohio 500. Work is being performed by Anderzack-Pitzen Construction Inc., Metamora.

Ohio 500 from Paulding to Payne – Tile work at various locations along the route will reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone. Work is being performed by Paulding County ODOT.

(For updates on U.S. 24 construction, please see the section dedicated to the project at the end of this report.)

Putnam County
Ohio 15 from the Defiance County line to just east of County Road 12 – Drainage repair will reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone. Work is being performed by Putnam County ODOT.

U.S. 224 from the Van Wert County line to Ottawa - Drainage repair will reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone. Work is being performed by Putnam County ODOT.

Ohio 109 between Ohio 613 and Township Road 9D, west of West Leipsic – Route is now open.

Van Wert County
Ohio 66 (Main Street), Ohio 697 (Second Street) from Main Street to State Street, and Ohio 190 from Fifth Street to the Putnam County line, Delphos – Paving began May 5 with traffic maintained through the work zone. Work is expected to take two weeks to complete. Work is being performed by Bluffton Paving.

Ditch work will reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone at the following locations. Work is being performed by Van Wert County ODOT:
-Ohio 637 between U.S. 224 and the Paulding County line
-U.S. 30 between Middle Point and Delphos
-U.S. 224 between Van Wert and the Putnam County

Wyandot County
Ohio 67 in Upper Sandusky – Railroad crossing repair will close the route for five days beginning May 12. Traffic detoured onto Ohio 294, U.S. 23 and Ohio 199 back to Ohio 67. Work is being performed by CSX Transportation.

County Highway 330 at the U.S. 30 junction west of Upper Sandusky – Road closed until August to allow for construction of a new interchange at County Highway 330 with new four-lane U.S. 30. No access to or from Upper Sandusky on County Highway 330 is possible during the closure. Work is being performed by E. S. Wagner, Oregon, Ohio.

U.S. 23 interchange with U.S. 30 south of Upper Sandusky – Work zones will occur intermittently and will reduce traffic to one lane through the work zone during embankment repair which will continue until late May. Work is being performed by Ft. Defiance Construction, Defiance.

Ohio 231 from the Marion County line to the north corporation limit of Nevada – Pavement repair and resurfacing project is under way and will continue until late May with traffic maintained through the work zone. Work is being performed by Kokosing Construction, Columbus.

U.S. 24 Expansion and Relocation in Paulding, Defiance and Henry Counties
(Projects are listed in geographic order from west to east)

U.S. 24 from the Indiana state line to U.S. 127 – Construction of a four-lane highway on a new location south of the existing two-lane highway to expand the route to four lanes began June 18, 2007. Traffic on existing U.S. 24 is not affected at this time. The project is scheduled to be completed in fall 2009. Work is being performed by Mosser Construction, Fremont, and Beaver Excavating, Canton.

Restrictions or closures related to the U.S. 24 project in this segment are as follows:
-County Road 11 between County Road 144 and existing U.S. 24 – Route closed early April until July 1 to allow for bridge construction.
-Township Road 43 south of Antwerp Local School between Township Road 162 and Township Road 176 – Road closed until late May to allow for construction of an overhead to carry Township Road 43 over new U.S. 24.
-Township Road 162 between Township Road 43 and Township Road 51 – Road is closed until the U.S. 24 project is completed. Local traffic maintained.
-Township Road 176 between Township Road 61 and Township Road 43 – Road is closed until late summer for construction of an overhead over U.S. 24.
-County 21 and County 33 between Township Road 162 and existing U.S. 24 – Intermittent daytime closures will occur throughout the construction season for various operations relating to the construction of U.S. 24.
-Township Road 105 between Township Road 206 and existing U.S. 24 – Road is closed during daytime hours only until mid June to allow for construction of overhead bridges to carry U.S. 24 over Township Road 105.

U.S. 24 from U.S. 127 to Ohio 424 - Construction of a four-lane highway on a new location south of the existing two-lane highway to expand the route to four lanes began June 4, 2007. Traffic on existing U.S. 24 is not affected at this time. The project is scheduled to be completed by fall of 2009. Work is being performed by E. S. Wagner, Oregon, Ohio, and Anthony Allega Cement Contractor, Valley View, Ohio.

Restrictions or closures related to the U.S. 24 project in this segment are as follows:
-County Road 123 between Township Road 224 and the Paulding/Defiance County line – Road closed May 6 until early October to allow for construction of mainline pavement of new U.S. 24.
-Ashwood Road (Paulding County Road 153) between County Road 232 and U.S. 24 closed May 7 until early October for construction of mainline pavement of new U.S. 24.
-Ohio 424 at the west edge of the City of Defiance – Route is now open.
-Township Road 129 between County Road 232 to the Defiance County line – Road is closed indefinitely.

U.S. 24 from Ohio 424 to just east of Ohio 15 – The reconstruction of the existing two lanes of U.S. 24 and the construction of two additional lanes to expand the route to a four-lane highway continues. The existing four-lane section from Ohio 15 to Ohio 66 is currently reduced to one lane in each direction. The project is scheduled to be completed fall of 2008. Traffic on U.S. 24 is maintained at all times. Work is being performed by E. S. Wagner, Oregon, Ohio.

Restrictions or closures related to the U.S. 24 project in this segment are as follows:
-High Street/Switzer Road between Haller Road and the Connector Road – Road will close for the day on Friday, May 16 to allow for setting of bridge beams. The road will be closed between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
-Traffic has been switched into the new westbound lanes between the U.S. 24 bypass and Ohio 424 to allow for construction of the new eastbound lanes and for construction to continue on the Maumee and Tiffin River bridges.
-Two-way traffic is maintained on the SR15/18 bridge over U.S. 24 during pavement reconstruction and bridge replacement.

U.S. 24 from Defiance to Napoleon –Construction of two additional lanes in the westbound direction and the reconstruction of portions of the existing lanes to expand the route to four lanes continues. Some lane restrictions will be required but traffic on U.S. 24 will be maintained at all times. Work is also taking place on Saturdays. The project is scheduled to be completed in fall of 2008. Work is being performed by Miller Brothers, Archbold.

Restrictions or closures related to the U.S. 24 project in this segment are as follows:
- U.S. 24 traffic from Ohio 66 to Adams Ridge Road is operating in four lanes. From Adams Ridge Road to Napoleon traffic is operating in the new westbound lanes, one lane in each direction.
- The westbound Ohio 6 exit ramp is currently not accessible from eastbound U.S. 24 and will remain this way until late summer.
-Carpenter Road at U.S. 24 is closed to allow for construction of a new overhead bridge which will take Carpenter Road over U.S. 24.  The current date to open the new structure to traffic is August 21.  This date is subject to change due to weather.
- Adams Ridge Road and Egler Road in Defiance County and Township Road 17C in Henry County are closed permanently on both the north and south approaches at U.S. 24.  Township Road 17D is temporarily closed on the south approach at U.S. 24.  A connection between Adams Ridge Road and Jewell Road is currently under construction.
- The south approach of Jewell Road to U.S. 24 is currently closed.