on U.S. 52 in Portsmouth.
When the project was proposed, ODOT asked the city to pay about $700,000 of the cost.
The city said it did not have the funds to come up with its local match.
"Because this project had been though the process of getting its federal authorization, when we reapplied for stimulus funding for this project, it was not approved by the Federal Highway Commission," said Kathleen Fuller ODOT District 9 spokesperson.
Fuller said they will instead use preservation funds that would have gone to the State Route 125 project for the city's portion of the U.S. 52 project.
According to Ohio Department of Transportation-District 9 Deputy Director Vaughn Wilson, crews from the Shelly Company will be resurfacing U.S. 52 from the New Boston/Portsmouth corporation limit to its junction with S.R. 140. Construction also includes paving a quarter-mile section of S.R. 335 at its junction with U.S. 52 in Portsmouth.
"Those are two separate projects that sold in the fall (of 2010). Those have a target completion date of Oct. 31 of this year" Fuller said. "Construction will likely begin in the spring. Right now, we do not have a start date with the contractor; it could be May when you should start to see things happening."
Fuller said both projects were awarded to Shelly Company for $8.4 million.
"We broke this project into two phases. First, we did the bridge rehabilitations with the Scioto-ville overpass and other bridges. We were working within the corporation limits of Portsmouth," Fuller said.
“We have an exciting construction season on tap this year, and this is just one of many projects that we will undertake to improve the state highway system and preserve the integrity of our routes,” Wilson said.
WAYNE ALLEN may be reached
at (740) 353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.
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