Yearlong Ohio 444 road work near Wright-Patt in Fairborn impacting traffic, marathon

“We’re maintaining traffic — one lane in both directions,” City Engineer Lee Harris said. “And we’re going to be focusing here in the first couple months on just waterline replacement and installation. That’s going to take us pretty much through September.”

The timing of the work prompted the U.S. Air Force Marathon, set for Sept. 16, to alter its course for the full marathon and get it recertified, officials said.

But Fairborn officials have been working with the contractor and marathon organizers to ensure the course isn’t impacted further, Harris said.

Work is starting at the southern end of the project and will move north, he said.

“The marathon is not going to be impacted at all,” Harris said. “Our goal is to get all of that work done and then when the marathon comes through, we’re actually going to move all of the barrels off the roadway. We’re going to sweep the roadway, make sure everything’s good. All of the asphalt is going to be replaced for the marathon.”

However, a detour is expected, according to the city. That rerouting is due to a water main installation, requiring westbound truck traffic on Ohio 235/Xenia Drive to shift onto northbound Central Avenue, officials said.

The detour will avoid work on Broad and prevent traffic congestion due to the current lane configuration on Broad.

Work, which started Monday, is about 2,500 feet and is expected is to last through June 2024, Harris said.

Milcon Concrete was the contractor selected for the Broad Street work, the second phase of a multi-year project, Fairborn records show.

Phase II also will include new curbs and gutters, pavement base repairs, new asphalt, bike lanes, wider sidewalks, new trees, street lighting and other streetscape enhancements, according to the city.

A six-inch wide water line will be replaced with an eight-inch one, improving service and accommodating any new development, officials have said.

The first part of this phase is expected to take most of this year before crews switch sides to work on the east side of the road, according to the city.