One month and an emergency remediation project later, U.S. Route 50 in Ross County is reopening to one lane of traffic later today, May 11th.
U.S. 50 has been closed since April 11th after a series of heavy rains comprised the roadway and jeopardized a slide repair project already under way between Dill Road and California Hollow Road.
Although the maintenance of traffic plan for the original project called for U.S. 50 to remain open to one lane with temporary signals during construction, a full closure of the route was enacted due to safety concerns after the pavement started to collapse.
Through its existing contract with the George J. Igel Company, ODOT issued an emergency remediation project calling for the contractors to build a secondary, smaller retaining wall along the eastbound lane of the route and reconstruct the failed section of pavement. With this work wrapping up later today, U.S. 50 will be open to one lane of traffic during the early evening hours tonight.
The George J. Igel and Company was awarded an initial contract for approximately $898,890 to repair the slide, and construction includes installing a drilled shaft retaining wall, reconstructing the embankment, paving and setting new guardrail.
During the remainder of construction, traffic will be maintained in one lane with temporary signals, and the entire project is scheduled for completion in mid-summer.