JOSEPH E. SHAW, P.E., PS.

Without a doubt there is a buzz in the air in Sylvania and lots of speculation regarding the Monroe Street Bridge over US-23 project. Here are some of the questions that have come my way in the last couple of weeks:

“I heard the bridge closure is going to be extended, what happened and when will it be opened?”

“I heard the contractor is ahead of schedule and the bridge is going to open in July, is that true?”

“All right, you can tell me, when is the bridge really going to open? I won’t tell anyone.”

Amid all the speculation and buzz I can report the Monroe Street bridge over US-23 will open on schedule in early August. Miller Brothers Construction bid their closure duration at 150 days and as of this publication date there were three lost days in the contract due to inclement weather. This would allow for a closure of 153 days without the contractor being financially penalized. As a result, motorists should see the bridge deck reopened to traffic over the second weekend of August.

Bridge items still yet to be completed during the final stretch of the closure include the installation of barrier walls, railings, and street lighting. In addition, all concrete surfaces will need to be sealed and the new bridge deck will receive a grooved finish for a smooth ride.

On the roadway side of the project, Miller Brothers will continue the full-depth reconstruction work on the north side of Monroe Street west of the bridge through the Glasgow Road intersection, on the south side of Monroe Street near the old northbound off-ramp, and along the south side of Alexis Road within the new alignment section.

Even though the bridge will be reopened to traffic, Miller Brothers will still have a very active construction work zone in place through the end of September. Bridge beams will be painted and the vertical surfaces will be stained and sealed creating an aesthetic brick finished look. All surface course asphalt paving and pavement marking will occur west of Dave White and roadside signage and grading will be completed. Motorists should continue to see periodic lane closures in place as these work items are completed through September.

Main Street

On Main Street the aerial utility bury project (Phase 1.5) between Maplewood Avenue and Erie Street has transitioned from city contractor work to utility relocation. All conduits are in the ground and installed. Each utility company now has the responsibility to relocate their facilities fully below grade, provide service connections, and then wreck out the decommissioned overhead lines.

One communication related utility (Charter Spectrum) is 100 percent complete with all lines buried and their overhead facilities removed. Buckeye Cable and Frontier Communications have also pulled new wires through their conduit and have completed as much work as possible. Both utilities are around 75 percent complete and are in a holding pattern until Toledo Edison has completed their work.

Toledo Edison relocation efforts will be the critical path moving forward. Their work not only includes the Main Street footprint, but as a part of the design a heavier electrical load will be brought from the south to downtown from the Monroe Street and Summit Street intersection. New and taller poles are scheduled to be set along Summit Street and will back feed the Maplewood Avenue and Erie Street areas.

Helms and Sons Excavating was awarded the $4,526,522 Phase 2 construction project in May. Helms and Sons was the Phase 1 contractor and will begin work as soon as the utility relocation process has been completed. The anticipated Phase 2 contract completion date is Memorial Day, 2027.

Joseph E. Shaw, P.E., P.S., is director of the city of Sylvania’s Departmant of Public Safety and Service