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Shannon Road project hampered by delays
(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - July 28, 2010)
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| Messenger photo by Rick Palsgrove |
| The Shannon Road relocation and recreational trail project has faced delays. |
A project to relocate part of Shannon Road near Winchester Pike as well as construct a paved recreational path has fallen behind schedule.
According to Bill Beuscher of Metro Parks, the project - a joint effort among Metro Parks, the city of Columbus, and Franklin County - began the first week of April with Shannon Road being closed April 29. The road was expected to be closed for 90 days and re-open July 29, but unexpected delays arose which slowed progress on the work. Beuscher said the project is now expected to be completed later in August and the project closed out by September.
Area resident Rebecca Delo is frustrated with the slow progress of the project.
"Pretty much nothing happened for the first 30 days, and we knew it was not going to go well," said Delo. "There was no reason for the road to be closed for the month of May. Then they dug up the road and left it sitting there for the past 60 days. It's been really upsetting to drive around the detour and pass the inactive construction project every day."
Delo calculated the detour costs for her family amounting to an additional $80 of gas per month and about 50 hours of time driving back and forth to work, not counting other trips.
Beuscher said snow, rain, and flooding conditions in February, March, and April delayed the start of the project. He said adverse weather conditions during the project also hampered work.
"Heavy rainfall and flooding, since the work area is within the floodplain of Blacklick Creek, saturated soil conditions, high ground water levels, soft soil areas, and buried obstructions, such as old house foundations and concrete slabs under the old roadway (caused delays)," said Beuscher.
The $938,539 project is funded by Metro Parks with the Franklin County Engineer paying for the turn lane improvement portion of the work, according to Beuscher.
"The project includes, the construction of a 12 foot wide asphalt recreational trail," said Beuscher. "The asphalt trail will include a 13 foot wide aggregate base with grading and drainage improvements. Portions of the trail will utilize the existing Shannon Road pavement. The length of the trail is approximately 2,100 linear feet."
The job also includes construction of a concrete underpass at the Winchester Pike bridge over Blacklick Creek as well as the construction of 1,585 feet of relocated Shannon Road and new intersection turn lanes at Winchester Pike.
"It is a critical link in the Blacklick Creek Greenway Trail," said Beuscher. "It will provide a safe route to get trail users past vehicular traffic on Shannon Road and Winchester Pike. The project also addressed roadway design issues and improvements worked out with the city of Columbus and Franklin County Engineer."
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