DELAWARE, Ohio — Five major construction projects will soon get underway in Delaware County as the Ohio Department of Transportation officially kicked off the start of construction season.
Chief among the projects is the long-anticipated expansion of the U.S. 36/ S.R. 37 “Point” intersection on the east side of Delaware. The intersection is the point where the U.S. 36 and Ohio 37 converge.
The goal of the project is to widen U.S. 36/S.R. 37 under the railroad bridge, reconstruct the Norfolk-Southern railroad bridge, and improve the 36/37 intersection at State Route 521. When complete, there will be five travel lanes below the bridge structure. There will also be new pedestrian and bicycle paths and safe road crossings.
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As it stands, traffic routinely backs up for a mile in either direction as the 100-year-old railroad bridge acts as a bottleneck for traffic going in and out of the city.
The project is jointly funded by ODOT and the City of Delaware.
Construction is scheduled to begin this month, with an estimated end date of September, 2025. The city estimates the total cost of the project to be $45.4 million, with the city contributing around $10.5 million.
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As part of the project, a temporary rail bridge will be built over 36/37 to divert Norfolk Southern train traffic away from the old rail bridge for one year.
During a City Council meeting on March 13, Council Member Catlin Frazier asked whether there should be additional concerns about safety, given a lack of communication from the railroad after a January derailment just outside city limits on Curve Road.
“Norfolk Southern is requiring oversight from their company, or their consultants, to be onsite during all rail improvements, including the temporary bridge,” said Deputy City Engineer Jonathan Owen. “So, they will have quite a bit of oversight that we’re paying for, incidentally, from a construction inspection standpoint, to make sure that is constructed appropriately to support the rail traffic.”
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Owen said that between the city, railroad, and ODOT, he is fairly confident construction and use of the temporary bridge will be handled appropriately.
Other projects:
U.S. 36/SR 37 AND GALENA ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS
- Install turn lanes on U.S. 36/SR 37 andGalena Rd., upgrade traffic signal, and addlighting.
- Estimated Begin: June 2023
- Estimated End: October 2024
- Project Cost: $2.5 million
- Traffic Impacts: Temporary lane closures
SR 37 – RESURFACING
- Resurface SR 37 from the Sunbury corporation limit to the Licking County Line.
- Estimated Begin: April 2023
- Estimated End: September 2023
- Project Cost: $2.6 million
- Traffic Impacts: Temporary lane closures
U.S. 36 IMPROVEMENTS AT I-71
- Replace U.S. 36 bridge over I-71, resurface U.S. 36 from east of Fourwinds Dr. to east of Wilson Rd.
- Estimated Begin: June 2023
- Estimated End: October 2024
- Project Cost: $5 million
- Traffic Impacts: Temporary lane closures and turn restrictions
STATE ROUTE 745 PAVING
- Resurface SR 745 from Emerald Pkwy. In Franklin County to south of Glick Rd. in Delaware County.
- Estimated Begin: April 2023
- Estimated End: May 2023
- Project Cost: $1.2 million
- Traffic Impacts: Temporary lane closures