Paul Gruner, the Montgomery County Engineer, said his office is a little busier this year than usual.
“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,” he said.
Gruner said inflation is on his mind as the county prepares to bid out some of the future projects. He said the projects that were bid out in late 2021 and early 2022 didn’t see the impact of inflation like the bids that were issued in March. He said one project has to be rebid because it didn’t receive a bid the first time around.
“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,” he said.
Construction began Monday on a bridge on Little York Road between Peters Pike and North Dixie Drive. The construction is estimated to take about 68 days and a detour has been set up in the meantime.
Gruner said the county has more than 500 bridges which is the most of any county in Ohio. He said there is a lot to keep up with because they are always in need of improvements.
The Montgomery County Commission held a hearing on Tuesday 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.
“This project includes the removal of the existing bridge and installation of a new reinforced single-span concrete slab bridge,” the engineer’s office said on its website. “A new bridge walk will be constructed atop the south side of bridge. New curb, drive apron, and sidewalk will be installed on the south side of the Airway Road.”
The project will also include a new safety railing, pavement upgrades, new bike lanes and other improvements.
Montgomery County Commission President Carolyn Rice said the projects the county is working on are important.
“Montgomery County is always working to maintain the roads and bridges that residents use every day,” she 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.”
Construction projects
2022 Asphalt Resurfacing Program: $2,789,690
North Dixie Drive Resurfacing: $1,546,927
Philadelphia Drive Bridge Rehab: $2,595,424
Mad River/Alex Bell Intersection: $926,281
Oxford Road. Bridge: $612,340
Air Hill Road Bridge over Wolf Creek: $355,537
Little York Rodd Bridge: $425,371
2022 Crack Seal Program: estimated $160,000
2022 ADA ramp Improvements: estimated $175,000
Carnation Drive Bridge: estimated $363,000
Huffman Road Bridge over Bear Creek: estimated $983,000
Germantown-Middletown Pike Bridge: estimated $750,000
Lamme Road Bridge over Holes Creek: estimated $2.6 million
Gettysburg Avenue Bridge over Wolf Creek: estimated $1.1 million
Airway Road Bridge over Lilly Creek: estimated $1.7 million
Shoup Mill Road Reconstruction: estimated $4 million
Source: Montgomery County Engineer’s Office
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