By Frank Lewis
The city of Portsmouth’s 2015 resurfacing program is complete, according to Portsmouth City Manager Derek K. Allen. However, the pavement marking project will most likely be delayed because of temperatures.
“We had a project to put thermoplastic down on Gay Street; over in Sciotoville on Gallia; some stop bars in the neighborhood where we did the sewer project on Grandview and a double yellow on Grandview and a few other places,” Allen said. “Basically it’s melted like plastic material that is put onto the pavement, it sticks. We had to get some basic plans drawn up to show dimensions, tapers and calculate quantities for a bid and by the time we got that all done, if we bid it now it could be late October or November and we’re worried that the pavement will be too cold for it to stick.”
Thermoplastic is a plastic material, polymer, that becomes pliable or moldable above a specific temperature and solidifies upon cooling.
Because of the colder weather, Allen said the city has decided to wait until spring to do the work. He said the project might be bid over the winter but will come with a June 2016 completion date.
The other project that continues to come to the minds of motorists who drive over the Chillicothe Street overpass is the turn lane to be created at the intersection of Scioto Trail and Kinney’s Lane.
“I was informed by ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) that the money we’re getting has to be spent this year,” Allen said. “So it’s going to be bid and completed this year.”
Allen said the project is being advertised for bids now.
“We should be able to get it bid; get it awarded,” Allen said. It’s a very short time frame for getting that work done, so it should be done this year.”
Allen said the rock slide cleanup along U.S. 52 is scheduled to start within the next week or two.
“The rocks were too big for us to move,” Allen said. “We contacted ODOT and they said it was basically a maintenance function that we are responsible for. So we have a contractor out there cleaning up along 52 between New Boston and Sciotoville.”
Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.
