ODOT to invest approximately $54.3 million in construction projects for Medina County

MEDINA — Throughout 2023, Medina County is expected to have about $54.3 million invested in construction projects through the Ohio Department of Transportation. Medina County will have approximately 13 projects underway throughout the year consisting of a number of rehabilitation and reconstruction projects, replacement or repairs done to bridges, a culvert replacement on state Route 301 and a signalization upgrade at the intersection of state Route 83 and state Route 421. According to ODOT, the state is investing about $2.5 billion in more than 1,000 projects for 2023, setting a new monetary record. In Northeast Ohio, ODOT's construction season will bring 202 new projects in addition to 45 continuing projects. ODOT said that 95 cents of every dollar spent for its construction work is invested in preserving current infrastructure, with more than 5,700 miles of pavement being improved and 823 bridges either being repaired or replaced. In Medina County, there are three bridge projects listed for the 2023 construction program including the state Route 252 bridge replacement over the west branch of the Rocky River between Law and Abbeyville roads for $2.1 million starting this month, creating a 150-day detour. The major rehabilitation of state Route 18 from Alber Drive to Nettleton Road will cost approximately $22.8 million. The project started in April 2021 and is expected to end in June 2024. Other projects include the U.S. 42 rehabilitation from Sleepy Hollow Road to Boston Road for approximately $6.5 million. The project started in April 2022 and is expected to end in September 2023. To learn more about ODOT's construction projects, visit transportation.ohio.gov/projects. Within the city of Medina, work has begun for its year-and-a-half-long construction project on West Smith Road from east of State Road to North Court Street with expected completion in the summer of 2024. The project, done by Fechko Excavating, will consist of replacing the pavement, along with the installation of new storm sewers, waterlines and pavement underdrains. The city will also be going through improvements to parts of the sanitary sewer with funding from the county. The project's contract was for $5.26 million with a portion of the funding coming through a federal grant of about $2 million. The remaining funds of about $2.8 million will be paid by the city, other than the portion paid by the county for the sanitary sewer. Throughout the project's duration, the work will move in block phases to avoid long-term significant impacts for each block. The intersection of West Smith Road and South Elmwood Avenue closed to traffic in all four directions on Tuesday, with the expectation to remain closed for about a week. Learn more about the West Smith Road reconstruction project at bit.ly/3GUF4F1. Contact reporter Sara Crawford at (330) 721-4063 or scrawford@medina-gazette.com.