JOSEPH SHAW, P.E., PS.

The effects of the spring wet weather pattern have started to fade for our two largest construction projects at the US-23/Monroe interchange and in the downtown areas. The National Weather Service for the Toledo region observed 3.85 inches of rain for the month of June. This was welcomed relief compared to the 6.5 inches observed in May and 5.2 inches observed in April.
Our contractors have taken advantage of the improved construction conditions with the most visual progress at the interchange. The new ramps are starting to take shape and the substructure work for both ramp bridges has advanced out of the ground with drilled shaft piers and abutment walls poured.
Here is a construction update with work completed through the 4th of July holiday on both projects.
Downtown Transportation Improvements, Phase 1
All work within the construction zone through the 4th of July holiday continues to focus on Maplewood Avenue and the east side of Main Street. Most of the underground utility work within these footprints has been completed including installing the electrical backbone infrastructure. New electrical transclosures on Maplewood Avenue that will house the power supply needed for street, holiday, and event lighting has been installed.
The east side of Main Street is starting to take shape as curbing, sidewalks, open seating, and raised planter bed areas have been defined and at-grade finishing work is underway. Helms and Sons will continue work on this side of the road through mid-July with the goal of switching the construction zone to the west side of Main Street before the end of the month.
The most common question about the downtown construction is, “How many on-street parking spaces will there be when the project is finished?” Prior to the project there were 22 on-street parking spaces in the first block of Main Street. When the project is completed this fall there will be 20 spaces in the first block and eight spaces on the north side of Maplewood Avenue for a total of 28 spaces.
The Phase 2 project for the second block of Main Street is currently under final design, but we are estimating an additional 20 spaces will be added there.
US-23 and Monroe Street Interchange
Primary work continues to be on the southbound on-ramp and northbound off-ramp. Earthwork has raised the southbound on-ramp 10 feet above existing grade and the northbound off-ramp six feet above existing grade. Once the soil is at the needed height, and prior to placing any pavement, large equipment called “stabilizers” will be used to harden the soil by adding cement and water to induce a chemical reaction that strengthens the soil base. This work was scheduled just after the 4th of July holiday.
Motorists may see some traffic related delays on Monroe Street and Alexis Road in July as First Energy has been authorized to relocate nine transmission tower poles between Glasgow Road and Acres roads. These relocations require room by the electrical contractors and may cause daily lane closures to perform the work. The movement of these essential utilities to our Sylvania area is very critical, so please have patience with these crews as they operate.
From a public inquiry perspective, the most common question we hear is, “What is going back in the big hole between US-23 and the southbound on-ramp?” The contractor has used this area as its own internal borrow pit to build the new ramps during the initial stages of the project. During later stages of construction this void will be backfilled with granular materials and soil. The amount of cut and fill required on this project nearly balances and they are within 10 percent of each other. Between the two operations, Miller Brothers Construction will have moved over 10,500 dump truck loads of dirt.
Joe Shaw P.E., P.S., is the city of Sylvania’s Director of Public Safety & Service.