With warmer weather also brings the start of road construction season throughout the Valley.

The projects scheduled for Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties vary from culvert replacements which may close roads for days to major paving and bridge repair. 

We spoke with Mahoning County Patrick Ginnetti, Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith and Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson.

Each county engineer’s office is responsible for maintaining hundreds of miles of roads in each county, obtaining and determining the funding for road projects and deciding the priority of each project as well.

Road projects include resurfacing, mill and fill (which means grinding off the top layer of existing asphalt pavement and replacing this layer with a new asphalt surface); chip and seal (application of asphalt emulsion, followed with a layer of crushed rock to an asphalt pavement surface); intersection improvements; culvert replacements and bridge restoration.

Each county also has bridges listed on the listed on the National Bridge Inventory website as ‘structurally deficient,’ but according to the engineers, it may not be bad as it sounds, as sometimes the fix needed is simply milling off multiple layers of asphalt and replacing with one new layer, thus reducing the weight of the structure.

Also discussed in the podcasts is whether the counties are considering using funds from the American Rescue Fund to pay for road repair in the Valley. Listen to each podcast to see what each county engineer’s office says about the possibility of using money from ARF to fix our Valley’s roads, water or sewer projects.

Here are some of the big road projects for 2021 being done by Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana County Engineer's Office and the state:

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2021 Mahoning County Road Projects                                             

The county is spending $13.9 million on road prjects this year: 

Beginning on May 24, a $2,267,717 mill and fill project begins on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown Township from Meridian Road to Meander Lake Bridge. Drivers may want to consider alternate routes as road delays and backups are possible.

South Avenue widening, Phase 2 paving on the east side of the street, with an estimated cost of $3,074,958.48, from Mathews Road to Lake Park Road.

Another big project in the county Western Reserve Road Phase 1 widening, with an estimated cost of $6,552,460. The project runs from just east of Market Street to Hitchcock Road, and is currently being delayed because of a railroad issue involving a sanitary sewer project, which is also running down the corridor of the road, from Five Points to Hitchcock Road. As far as Western Reserve Road, there will be multiple projects going on at one time. The first portion of the widening project will be from just east of Market Street to Hitchcock Road, and will be followed by the widening from Market Street to South Avenue. The road construction on Western Reserve is expected to take several years to complete.

Ginnetti said there will be a “major inconvenience” for those traveling Western Reserve Road in this area for probably the next five to six years.

Other road projects include:

Lipkey Road Bridge Replacement, estimated cost at $210,000, just south of New Road.

Early Road Bridge replacement, cost estimate of $320,000, at Early Road in Youngstown south of McGuffey Road.

State Street Bridge replacement in Struthers, cost estimate of $250,000, at State Street east of Walton Avenue.

Raccoon Road Bridge deck replacement, cost estimate of $311,988.70, at Raccoon Road between State Route 224 & Leffingwell Road.

2021 State Road Projects in Mahoning County

State Route 7 from Youngstown; including Beaver and Boardman Townships; Construction cost:$6.3 million Total cost: $6.4 million; Start date: August 2020, End date: Oct. 2021 
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 7 from State Route 164 to State Route 170/Midlothian Blvd. Project includes signal repairs at the State Route 7/State Route 164 intersection. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on State Route 7.

State Route 7, Beaver Township; Construction cost:$900,000 Total cost: $900,000; Start date: May 2021, End date: November 2021
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 7 from the Columbiana County line to just north of State Route 164 Project includes signal replacements. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained on State Route 7 by flaggers. 

State Route 14, Smith Township; Construction cost:$700,000 Total cost: $700,000; Start date: Spring 2020, End date: Oct. 2021
Description: Chip sealing of State Route 14T from State Route 14 to the Portage County line. Project also includes chip sealing of various routes in Ashtabula & Trumbull Counties. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 14.

State Route 170, Village of Poland; Springfield & Poland Township; Construction cost:$1.8 million Total cost: $1.8 million;
Start date: May 2021; End date: Sept. 2021
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 170 at State Route 617, from I-80/Ohio Turnpike to just south of Middletown Road, and from State Route 630 to the northern Poland Village limit. Project also includes minor bridge repairs. 
Maintenance of traffic: One lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 170 during construction.

U.S. Route 224, Boardman & Canfield Townships; Construction cost: $9.2 million, Total cost: $9.3 million; Started May 2020, End date: July 2021.
Description: Resurfacing of U.S. 224 between State Route 11 and I-680 and the resurfacing of State Route 625 from U.S. 224 to just north of Tippecanoe Road Project also includes minor bridge repairs and the widening of U.S. 224 at Meijer Grocery Store. Work completed in 2020 includes the resurfacing of U.S. 224 from State Route 11 to the Shops at Boardman Park and the resurfacing and widening of State Route 625 from U.S. 224 to just north of Tippecanoe Road Work to be performed in 2021 includes the resurfacing of U.S. 224 from the Shops of Boardman Park to I-680.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction of U.S. 224 during non-peak traffic times.

Interstate 680, Youngstown; Construction cost:$9.7 million, Total cost: $10.8 million; Start date: June 2018, End date: July 2021
Description: Repairs to 12 bridges along I-680 between State Route 711 to just south of U.S. 224. Project includes replacement of bridge deck on I-680 bridge over Cherry Hill Road, just west of Belle Vista Ave., the removal of the I-680 bridge over an embankment and miscellaneous repairs to ten other bridges. Project also includes installation of cable median rail between North Meridian Road and Belle Vista Ave. Work completed in 2020 included the reconstruction of the I-680 southbound bridge over Cherry Hill and the I-680 southbound bridge over the railroad. Work to be completed in 2021 includes bridge painting and the placement of median cable barrier between Meridian Road and Bella Vista Ave.
Maintenance of traffic: Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction of I-680 during peak travel times.

State Route 164, Beaver Township; Construction cost: $800,000, Total cost: $900,000; Start date: May 2021, End date: August 2021
Description: Replacement of two bridges on State Route 164, one just south of W. Garfield Road and one just south of State Route 165.
Maintenance of traffic: State Route 164 will be closed for 14 days at each structure. These closures will not occur at the same time. All detours will be posted. Access to all residences and businesses will be maintained at all times throughout construction.

Interstate 76 & 80, U.S. Route 62 & State Route 711, Youngstown; Austintown & Jackson Townships; Construction cost: $800,000, Total cost: $900,000; end date: October 2022
Description: Concrete pavement repairs on I-76 from just east of Bailey Road to I-80/Ohio Turnpike, I-80 from I-76 to just east of State Route 46, U.S. 62 from Oak St. to just north of U.S. 422 and State Route 711 from Salt Springs Road to the Trumbull County line. Project also includes minor bridge repairs. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on all routes during peak travel times.

State Routes 46 & 625, Youngstown; Boardman & Canfield Townships; Construction cost: $700,000, Total cost: $700,000; Date: October 2021, End date: October 2022
Description: Microsurfacing of State Route 46 between U.S. 62 and New Road and State Route 625 from just north of Tippecanoe Road to Arden Blvd. Project also includes microsurfacing of State Route 46 in Trumbull County. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers at all times throughout construction.

U.S. Route 62 & State Route 7, Youngstown; Construction cost:$1.1 million, Total cost: $1.1 million; End date: October 2022
Description: Resurfacing of U.S. 62 between Tippecanoe Road to just west of Glenwood Ave. and on State Route 7 between State Route 170 and Indianaola Blvd.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on all routes at all times throughout construction.

State Route 164, Beaver Township; Construction cost: $1.3 million, Total cost: $1.3 million; Award date: : June 2021, End date: October 2021
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 164 from the Columbiana County line to State Route 165. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 164.

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2021 Trumbull County Road Projects

The county will be spending nearly $14 million to do the following road projects this year, including:

Resurfacing projects:

North River Road, from North Leavitt Road to Elm Road in Farmington Township.

Niles Vienna Road, from Niles to Warren Sharon Road in Vienna Township.

Painesville Warren State Road, from state Route 534 to Geauga County line in Southington, Farmington townships.

Phoenix Road, resurfacing and new water lines, storm sewers in Howland Township.

Champion Avenue, from State Road 305 to Hoagland Blackstub Road in Bazetta, Champion townships.

All projects are slated to begin soon and will be completed by the fall.

Mill and Fill:

North Park Ext., from state Route 305 to state Route 88 in Champion, Bristol, Bazetta and Mecca townships.
Orangeville Custer Road, from state Route 7 to Thompson Sharpsville Road in Brookfield Township.

Yankee Run, from Warren Sharon Road to Custer Orangeville Road in Brookfield Township.

Warner Road, from Warren Sharon Road to King Graves Road in Vienna and Brookfield townships.

Chestnut Ridge Road, from Warner Road to State Line in Hubbard Township.

Four Mile Run, from Salt Springs to Ohltown Girard Road in Weathersfield Township.

Ohltown McDonald Road, from McDonald Avenue to Clearfield Avenue in Weathersfield Township.

Logangate, from LoganWay to state Route 7 in Liberty Township.

Sodom Hutchins Road from stae route 305 to state Route 88 in Johnston, Fowler townships.

Hayes Orangeville Road from Oil Well to Orangeville line in Hartford township.

Everett Hull Road from stat Route 193 to Cortland line in Fowler Township.

Intersection Improvements:

North Road and Reeves Road in Howland Township.

East Market and North Road in Howland Township near Warren, adding dedicated turn lanes, with expected delays and backups. 

Chip and seal:

Painesville Warren Road, Stare Route 305 to Stare Route 534, Southington Township

East River Road, State Route 534 to Pritchard Ohl Town Road, Newton Township.

Newton Bailey Road, Lordstown Line to Newton Village Line, Newton

Helsley Fusselman Road, State Route 534 To State Route 422, Southington

Donley Road, State Route 534 To Bloomfield Geneva Road, Bloomfield, Mesopotamia

North Park Ext., State Route 305 to State Route 88, Champion, Bristol, Bazetta/Mecca townships.

Orangeville Custer Road, State Route 7 to Thompson Sharpsville Road, Brookfield Township

Warner Road, from Warren Sharon Road to King Graves Road in Vienna, Brookfield townships.

Chestnut Ridge Road, from Warner Road to the State Line in Hubbard Township.

Four Mile Run, from Salt Springs Road to Ohltown Girard Road in Weathersfield Township.

Ohltown Mcdonald Road, from McDonald Ave. to Clearfield Avenue in Weathersfield Township.

Logangate, from Logan Way to State Route 7 In Liberty Township.

Sodom Hutchings Road, from State Route 305 to State Route 88 in Johnston, Fowler townships.

Hayes Orangeville Road from Oil Well to Orangeville Line in Hartford Township.

Everett Hull Road from State Route 193 to Cortland Line In Fowler Township.

Culvert replacements:

Ensign Road in Farmington Township.

Prentice Road NW in Champion township

Palmyra Road in Lordstown Township.

Anderson Morris Road in Liberty Township.

Doty East (just west of State Route 534) in Southington Township.

Bridge work: 

Kinsman Pymatuning Road bridge over Stratton Creek in Kinsman, and make improvements to the road and guardrails. The bridge was damaged during flooding in 2019 and the project is being completed.

2021 State Road Projects In Trumbull County

State Routes 5, 45, 82 & 534; City of Newton Falls; Village of Lordstown; Kinsman, Warren, & Braceville townships; Construction cost: $2.1 million, Total cost: $2.1 million, started: : June 2020, End date: October 2021
Description: Microsurfacing of State Route 5 from the southern leg of State Route 7 to the northern leg of State Route 7, State Route 45 from the Mahoning County line to just south of the southern Lordstown Corporation limit, State Route 82 from the Portage County line to State Route 534 and on State Route 534 from Newton Falls Tomlinson Road to Broad St. and from just south of State Route 5 to State Route 82. Project also includes microsurfacing on various routes in Portage County.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Routes 5, 45, 82, & 534.

State Route 11: Johnston, Greene & Gustavus Townships; Construction cost:$5.4 million, Total cost: $5.6 millio Start date: May 2021, End date: October 2021.
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 11 from just south of State Route 5 to the Ashtabula County line. Project includes minor bridge repairs.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on State Route 11 during construction.

Interstate 80: Liberty & Hubbard Townships; Construction cost: $3.2 million, Total cost: $3.2 million; Start date: May 2021 End date: September 2021.
Description: Resurfacing of I-80 from just east of Bell Wick Road to the Pennsylvania State line. Project also includes minor bridge repairs and a slide repair on I-80 westbound just east of Hubbard Masury Road
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on I-80 during non-peak travel times. Various nightly ramp closures at the I-80/U.S. 62/State Route 7 interchange. All detours will be posted. Access to all residences and businesses will be maintained at all times throughout construction.

Warner Road: Fowler & Hartford Townships; Construction cost: $1.2 million, Total cost: $1.7 million; Start date: May 2021, End date: October 2021.
Description: replacement of the Warner Road bridge over the south branch of Yankee Run between Cadwallder Sonk Road and Wilson Sharpsville Road Project also includes the pavement replacement and realignment of Warner Road
Maintenance of traffic: Warner Road will be closed for 150 days. A detour will be posted. Access to all residents and businesses will be maintained at all times throughout construction. 

State Route 88: Vernon Township; Construction cost:$700,000, Total cost: $700,000; Start date: Spring 2021, End date: Oct. 2021
Description: Chip sealing of State Route 88 from State Route 193 to Orangeville-Kinsman Road Project also includes chip sealing of various routes in Ashtabula & Mahoning Counties. Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 88.

State Route 82: City of Warren; Warren & Howland Townships; Construction cost:$900,000, Total cost: $900,000; Started: September 2020, End date: Sept. 2021.

Description: Lighting improvements to the State Route 5/82 and W. Market St. interchange and the State Route 82 and W. Market St. interchange. Project also includes lighting improvements in Mahoning County.
Maintenance of traffic: Traffic will be maintained on State Route 82 throughout construction.

State Routes 305 & 534, Southington Township; Construction cost: $1.1 million, Total cost: $1.1 million
Start date: Spring 2021, End date: Nov. 2021.
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 305 from the Portage County line to U.S. 422 and on State Route 534 from just north of Phalanx Mills-Herner Road to U.S. 422. Project also includes resurfacing in Portage County.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 305 and State Route 534

State Route 82 & 616: Vienna, Brookfield & Hubbard Townships; Construction cost:$5.2 million, Total cost: $5.2 million;
Start date: May 2021, End date: Nov. 2021.
Description: Resurfacing of State Route 82 from just east of State Route 193 to U.S. 62, State Route 82I just east of U.S. 62, and on State Route 616 from the Mahoning County line to the southern Hubbard Corporation limit. Project also includes minor bridge repairs.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 82 and State Route 616 during construction. Occasional short-term ramp closures at U.S. 62 & State Route 82 interchange. All detours will be posted. Access to all residences and businesses will be maintained at all times throughout construction.

State Route 46: Howland Townhip; Construction cost: $300,000, Total cost: $600,000; Award date: April 2021, End date: September 2021.
Description: intersection improvements on State Route 46 between Dawson St. and Hidden Hills intersection. Project includes extending southbound right turn lane to Dawson St.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on State Route 46.

State Routes 82, 305 & 534: Braceville, Brookfield, Mesopotamia, Southington & Vienna Townhips; Construction cost:$1.1 million, Total cost: $1.1 million; Award date: April 2021, End date: October 2021.
Description: Replacement of culverts in Trumbull County: including three on State Route 82, one just east of Braceville Robinson Road, just east of State Route 193, and one between Beford Road and Addisson Road, one on State Route 305 just east of U.S. 422 and one State Route 534 just south of State Route 87. Project aso includes minor bridge maintenance on U.S. 422 between I-80 and State Route 711.
Maintenance of traffic: State Route 82 will be closed for 14, 21 and 28 days. State Routes 305 and State Route 534 will each be closed for 14 days. All detours will be posted. Access to all residences and businesses will be maintained at all times throughout construction. 

State Route 87: Bloomfield & Mesopotamia Township; Construction cost: $1.8 million, Total cost: $1.8 million; Award date: July 2021, End date: June 2022.
Description: resurfacing of State Route 87 from just west of State Route 534 to State Route 45. Project also includes minor bridge repairs. 
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers on State Route 87.

State Route 46: Weathersfield Township; Construction cost: $700,000; Total cost: $700,000; Award date: October 2021, End date: October 2022.
Description: Microsurfacing of State Route 46 from just north of the Mahoning County line to just north of Salt Springs Road Project also includes microsurfacing in Mahoning County.
Maintenance of traffic: A minimum of one lane of traffic will be maintained by flaggers at all times throughout construction.

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2021 Columbiana County Road Projects

The largest upcoming road project in Columbiana County is the Calcutta-Smith Ferry Road widening, straightening project, budgeted at $6 million. Likely start date for the project is late summer/early fall 2021. There will be road closures at times throughout project.

The engineer’s office said there will be up to six bridge renovations in the county this summer, and hot mix to repair roads as needed in the county. 

There will also be some chip and seal projects throughout the county as well, but nothing that is expected to cause any prolonged delays.

Another concern in Columbiana County is the weight of new firetrucks and other emergency vehicles, as often the heaviest loads many bridges will see in the county come from the need for an emergency vehicle being able safely cross bridges. The engineer’s office is now having to reanalyze bridges throughout the county to verify the load capacity is safe for all emergency vehicles.

Another issue Dawson says is the amount of time it takes to get approval from the government can slow down projects significantly, citing a bridge project inside a state park in the county that took 13 years to get through all the needed approvals and studies.

2021 State Road Projects in Columbiana County

State Route 170: in Jefferson and Columbiana counties; roadway improvements

State Route 7: roadway minor rehab; estimated cost $6,733,993

State Route 7: Bridge Preservation End date 6/30/2021, estimated cost $2,417,000

East 4th Street Phase 2: Pedestrian Facilities, End date: 05/28/2021 Estimated cost; $1,664,6751

County Road 427A: Geologic Maintenance / Slide Repair End date: 5/31/2021 Estimated cost: $412,499

State Route 164: Roadway Minor Rehab; End date: 9/30/2021Estimated cost: $899,215

Elizabeth Street Bridge: Bridge Preservation; started: 3/8/2021; end date: 5/31/2022; estimated cost: $2,296,980

COL-30/COL-7: Bridge Preservation; Start date: 5/31/2021, end date: 10/31/2021 at estimated $2,000,000

State Route 45: Culvert Preservation, Start date: 6/7/2021, end date: 8/31/2021; estimated cost: $246,240

Washington Street Bridge: Bridge Preservation; Start date: 5/10/2021, end date: 11/1/2021, estimated cost: $359,590

County Road 430: Roadway Improvement for safety, start date 7/19/202, end date: 10/1/2022; estimated cost: $3,822,000

Highlandtown Culvert: Culvert Preservation: Start date: 9/1/2021, end date: 10/31/2021; estimated cost: $156,900

State Route 7: Geologic Maintenance / Slide Repair: Start date: 10/1/2021, end date: 7/31/2022; estimated cost: $195,223