Officials gathered
this morning to recognize the completion of the Cincinnati Dayton
Road widening in West Chester Township. A joint effort of the
Butler County Engineer's Office and the Ohio Department of Transportation
(ODOT), the $11.9 million project was formally dedicated with
a ceremonial ribbon cutting by several public officials and representatives
from the local business community.
"This project
has been an outstanding example of what can be achieved through
strong local communication and cooperation," said Butler
County Engineer Greg Wilkens. "I would like to commend ODOT,
the Southeastern Butler County (SEBC) Chamber of Commerce, and
those from our own office who played a significant role in making
this project run smoothly."
Regular public meetings
were an important part of the Cincinnati Dayton Road upgrade
even before construction began. "Due to the size and local
impact of the project, we felt it was critical to keep an open
line of communication with residents and businesses from the
planning phase through the actual construction phase," Wilkens
emphasized.
Monthly and bi-monthly
meetings were held to provide construction updates for local
property owners and businesses, according to Joe Hinson, SEBC
Chamber President and CEO. Sponsored by the Chamber, ODOT, and
the BCEO, these meetings were "highly successful in getting
critical information out and obtaining feedback from our local
citizens and businesses so that any concerns could be immediately
addressed," Hinson said. "As a result, this project
was well managed with limited traffic delays and inconveniences,
due in part to these collaborative efforts. We will be using
this same process to communicate the progress of the upcoming
I-75 expansion."
Lawrence E. Weisman,
P.E., ODOT Construction Engineer added, "The Cincinnati
Dayton Road widening has been one of our most successful projects.
ODOT is very appreciative of the support and cooperation we have
received from everyone."
Smooth Construction
and Good Weather
Construction began
in 2001 and continued through the winter months last year thanks
to mild weather and little snow, according to the project's construction
manager Dick Dole, ODOT Transportation Manager. "Last summer's
dry weather helped as well," said Dole, who also credited
the contractor, C.J. Mahan, and sub-contractor R.B. Jergens,
with being responsive to various construction issues affecting
motorists and local businesses. "Everyone was very cooperative
and tolerant which helped us complete the project on time."
Project
Benefits
The Cincinnati Dayton
Road improvements will help facilitate a more efficient traffic
flow and safer turning movements for motorists, according to
Wilkens. "The increased number of lanes will help reduce
congestion and the new traffic signal system will provide a safer
and more convenient access into and out of surrounding businesses
and neighborhoods."
The project involved
widening Cincinnati Dayton Road from two to five lanes between
Mauds Hughes Road and I-75, widening the bridge over I-75, and
upgrading the intersection at Tylersville Road. A new traffic
signal system was installed and the I-75 entrance and exit ramps
were also improved. During the two-year construction period,
closings and disruptions were held to a minimum. In most cases,
crews were able to keep at least two lanes of traffic open and
full access to all homes and businesses was maintained at all
times.
