A ribbon cutting and
dedication to American veterans and prisoners of war marked the
opening of the newly constructed California Road Bridge in Morgan
Township today. The $2 million dollar bridge replacement and
road realignment project began soon after the September 11 terrorist
attacks last year. "It seemed appropriate that we dedicate
this bridge to the heroes who have fought to protect our country's
freedoms," said Butler County Engineer Greg Wilkens.
"The design of
this project, by Palmer Engineering of Middletown, was supervised
by one of Butler County's own war veterans, Robert Petrocy, who
served our country in World War II and spent time in a German
prisoner of war camp," Wilkens stated. "Bob is a retired
civil engineer who gave 33 years of service to the people of
Ohio at the Ohio Department of Transportation, is a lifelong
Butler County resident, and has spent the past 20 years as a
federal aid consultant to the BCEO. We are truly honored to have
him dedicate this bridge today."
Several state and local
officials joined a host of U.S. war veterans and POWs for the
ceremonial bridge opening, including State Representative Shawn
Webster, Mike Cantwell representing Congressman Steve Chabot,
Butler County Commissioner Courtney Combs, and the Morgan Township
Trustees.
"Being a veteran
who served essentially during peacetime, I can only imagine the
dedication and devotion to country that men like Mr. Petrocy
gave in World War II," said Representative Webster. "It
is only fitting that we be reminded of these heroes daily, as
we pass over this beautiful structure, to remember sacrifices
they made for our freedom."
New Bridge,
Safer Alignment
The new California
Road bridge replaces an aged steel truss structure built in 1953.
Now the highest bridge on the Butler County road system, the
spectacular new structure is a 60-foot high concrete I-beam bridge
spanning 500 feet across Dry Fork Creek. It was constructed to
the east of the old bridge on a straighter vertical and horizontal
alignment, thus eliminating the hazardous s-curves and steep
hillside approach to the north side of the old truss.
As the BCEO's federal
aid consultant, Petrocy was also responsible for leveraging federal
funds to help finance 80 percent of the project's $2 million
dollar price tag. The County Engineer funded 20 percent of the
road realignment while the 80 percent in FHWA (Federal Highway
Administration) funds was applied to the remainder of the road
work and all of the bridge construction. Trend Construction of
Cincinnati was the general contractor on the job. The opening
of this bridge reduces the number of load restricted bridges
under the Butler County Engineer's jurisdiction to 14, pending
this year's annual bridge inspection.
The California Road
bridge project almost became a prisoner of ill-fated circumstances
of its own during the 10-month construction schedule. Heavy rains
delayed construction for several weeks this spring. Moreover,
BCEO engineers had planned to keep the old bridge open during
construction with only a two-week closure necessary to tie in
the newly aligned roadway with the new structure. However, advanced
deterioration and unauthorized crossings by overweight vehicles
had stressed the existing bridge making it increasingly unsafe
and forcing an emergency closure last January. Fortunately, construction
had just been completed on the nearby Okeana Drewersburg Road
bridge, thus reducing a lengthy detour that would have resulted
from both bridges being closed simultaneously.
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