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New bridge to spur intersection face lift
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - January 28, 2010)
New bridge to spur intersection face lift
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Some changes at the intersection of Auburn and Sherman roads in Munson Township could be taking shape.
Geauga County Engineer Robert Phillips said his department is working on plans to rebuild a bridge that crosses Auburn Road in 2011. He said the bridge work eventually is expected to lead to a realignment of Sherman Road.
Sherman Road now meets Auburn Road with the eastern portion of the road several feet north of the western portion of the road.
Mr. Phllips said his department is considering what length the new bridge should be. The existing bridge spans the Chagrin River and is about 30 to 40 feet in long.
He said a guardrail situated along the bridge sits up against the roadway, leaving an unsafe situation. That is also a source of constant maintenance, because it is struck by vehicles so frequently, he said.
A bridge of 75 feet in length would allow engineers to move the guardrail back away from the road, providing a safer situation for motorists, he said.
He said that alone would be an improvement, because the guardrails now obstruct the view of motorists.
If the bridge is extended to 100 feet, he said, the guardrail could be eliminated altogether.
Adding another 30 feet, making the bridge 130 feet long, would give engineers the room needed to realign the road, bringing the two offset sections of Sherman Road together. He said the eastern side of the road would be brought north and the western section south to align the two roads.
He said the bridge work must be completed first to make it possible for the realignment.
Mr. Phillips said because Auburn Road is used heavily, engineers will work to have the shortest road closure possible.
The project likely will start in June 2011, he said, to time it with the end of the school year. The project then likely will take June and July for completion.
He said the biggest holdup on that project may be getting the permits from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for working in the Chagrin River.
Preliminary estimates for the bridge work are between $350,000 and $400,000, Mr. Phillips said. Another approximately $200,000 to $250,000 will be required for the realignment project preliminary estimates show, he said.
He said making the road wider with the shifting or removal of the guardrails is the first step in making the road safer for motorists.
The realignment project, Mr. Phillips said, also will provide safer travel for motorists in the area. He said too often people attempting to navigate from the western side of Sherman Road to the eastern side, or vice versa, pull out in oncoming traffic. That zig-zag move often catches motorists unprepared for the sudden stop and that leads to accidents, he said.
He said initial talks with township officials have brought support for the project. However, he said, he still needs to discuss what portion of the project's costs the township may have to pick up.
Mr. Phillips said he will be looking to try to line up funding for the projects to minimize the costs to the county and the township.
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