Local highway department 'starting to take off' with projects

"Tis the season.Not for prom or even graduation. And certainly not Christmas. No, it's the time of year when the Huron County Engineer's Office and Highway Department is busy with multiple projects."Everything is just starting to take off," said Lee Tansey, who was elected county engineer in November.Also, this is the time of the year when the highway department works on a salt contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation. Tansey said his office submitted paperwork last week for the 2018 contract."We ordered 2,500 tons," he said. "This year, we used 2,000 tons."Tansey said he expects the current price for salt to be similar to the 2016-2017 winter — $36 per ton."Currently with the mild winter, we are stocked to the gills," said the engineer, referring to 2,500 tons on-hand presently. "If we have a terrible winter, we will order double that."Tansey outlined many of the current and upcoming projects.(NOTE: A PDF map of the upcoming projects and a PDF list of upcoming projects are posted on this website.)The Fairfield Angling Road bridge replacement started April 11. Located between Delta and Edwards roads in Fairfield Township, the $389,000 bridge spans 30 feet over a branch of the Huron River."That is a 45-day closure," Tansey said. "That is state-funded at 100 percent. This is through the county bridge partnership program. Basically it funds local bridges."Another bridge replacement project that will start soon is on Omega Road, between Ohio 13 and Rome Greenwich Road in Greenwich Township."That is going to start May 1. I think we have a 90-day road closure for that," Tansey said.The engineer's office has accepted a $437,500 bid from Crawford Construction in Lisbon. According to county documents, it is 95-percent federally funded.Another upcoming bridge replacement will take place on Plymouth East Road. The completely state-funded $473,000 structure spans 60 feet over a branch of the Huron River. The New Haven Township bridge is between Ohio 61 and Mills Road."That will be a 45-day closure," said Tansey, who expects that project to start in late summer. The contractor is R&I Construction Inc. from Tiffin, which also is working on the Fairfield Angling Road bridge currently.Also being replaced is the Fayette Road bridge at an estimated cost of $211,000. The structure is at the intersection of Chenango Road in New London Township."County crews are going to handle the foundation and abutments. … We (also) will do the clean-up work," Tansey said.The Fayette Road bridge project is expected to start in mid- to late June. Tansey said his office is putting out bids for the beams. Currently, Boughtonville Road is closed between Old State and New State roads in Ripley Township for repairs."We are helping with the construction management on that. That is funded by the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC)," Tansey said. "That is under way now. … That should be done by the middle of May."The engineer's office plans to perform bridge repairs on Townline Road 12 and Star Road. Crews will repair the outside beams on the Townline Road 12 bridge and the deck on Star Road."Those will be short road closures," Tansey said. The Townline Road 12 bridge is on the border of Ripley and Fairfield townships. Star Road is in Greenwich Township.One of the biggest projects is repairing and resurfacing Butler Road from Ohio 303 to Ohio 162. "We will be out there until June," Tansey said.The $1 million project covers 10 1/2 miles. According to county documents, 40 percent of the funding is from the OPWC.The highway department plans to replace culverts on Old State, Pontiac Section Line and Peru Center roads.Overall, Tansey said his employees are trying to do as much work and preparation as possible to save the county money.For updates, photos and information on road closures and openings, follow the Huron County Engineer's Office on Facebook."We are (posting) updates on Facebook daily," Tansey said.TanseyCrews from the Ohio Department of Transportation and R&I Construction Inc. pour concrete for the footings at the Fairfield Angling Road bridge, which is being replaced. The project started April 11 and will close the road for 45 days.A crew works on the bridge replacement project on Fairfield Angling Road in Fairfield Township. The road will be closed for 45 days. The project started April 11.The past, present and future of the Huron County Engineer's Office and highway department gathered Thursday morning to celebrate the retirement of Joe Kovach (left). Larry McGlinchy (middle) was elected the engineer before Kovach and Lee Tansey, who replaces Kovach, will start his four-year term Jan. 2. Huron County Engineer Lee Tansey (left) chats with Commissioner Joe Hintz during a casual 4-H celebration Tuesday afternoon in the Huron County Recorder's Office. On the right is recorder Jan Tkach. 4-H members and supporters celebrated 100 local years of 4-H by honoring elected county officials with cupcakes. Norwalk resident Amelia Ruggles, vice president of the Ridgefield Country Kids, is asking residents for information to identify the grandchildren and/or great-grandchildren of the members of the first local 4-H club, the 1917 Corn Club. Those original members were: Donald Heyman, John S. Hyde, Clarence Jones, Mary Pilkey, Ernest J. Salvidge, Pauline Zipfel, Clayton Schild and West Ruggles. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Amelia Ruggles or her father, Marc Ruggles, at 419-668-2794.