Photo by Ryan Ottney | Daily Times

The shoulder along Lakeview Avenue in New Boston is blocked by orange barrels after the newly-paved road was damaged by construction crews digging a retention pond for the new New Boston School.

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RYAN SCOTT OTTNEY

PDT Staff Writer

New Boston village officials on Monday discovered a portion of Lakeview Avenue damaged in front of the new school construction. The village and county spent $148,000 to have the road re-paved last month, and warned New Boston Schools that they would be responsible to repair any damages caused by their ongoing construction.

New Boston Mayor James Warren said that Village Administrator Steve Hamilton was inspecting the school construction Monday morning on Lakeview Avenue when he discovered the damage to the road. According to Warren, the construction crew was digging out the retention pond in front of the school and dug too close to the sidewalk and road, causing damage to both.

“They had already barricaded it off when they realized it was collapsing,” Warren said.

Upon discovering the damage to the road, Hamilton set-up a barrel perimeter and notified Warren. Together they went to the project manager.

“That’s going to be up to the school and to the engineers to repair it. That is not the village. It was caused by their construction,” Warren said.

Scioto County Engineer Craig Opperman previously explained that the county and the village applied last year for state funding to repave Lakeview. He said the state awarded a 50-50 matching funds grant in the amount of $148,000 for the project and New Boston paid half. After the paving was complete last month, the village delivered a letter to the school asking them to avoid driving heavy construction equipment on the fresh pavement for a few extra days, and to watch their weight limits after that.

“Pictures will be taken in front of the School site. If any (Damage) is done to the new (Pavement) either the contractor or construction management will be held liable,” the letter reads, signed by Hamilton and New Boston Mayor James Warren.

Warren said the contractor told him they would fix the damaged portion of the road, and the village will monitor the area to be sure it’s done correctly.

“We’ll eventually have to close either one-lane down Lakeview when they start the repair, or we may have to shut Lakeview down in front of the school there while it’s being repaired,” Warren said.

He called it an inconvenience for motorists, but also an inconvenience for the school.

“That’s going to throw another little delay in part of the construction,” Warren said.

Ryan Scott Ottney can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 235, or rottney@heartlandpublications.com.