ODOT Has Plan For Bridge Street Congestion Improvements

Presented By McDonald’s

Last October, the Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 9 Spokesperson Matt McGuire appeared on Litter Media LIVE- Special Edition to explains proposals for improving decades old traffic congestion and traffic flow problems on Chillicothe’s Bridge Street.

McGuire returned to the broadcast April 4th to highlight the improvements that have been decided upon for the $24 million project, which is expected to begin in the year 2024.

To watch Mike Smith’s follow-up interview with ODOT’s Matt McGuire, CLICK ON THE INTERVIEW PHOTO BELOW:

This year, Ohio is investing nearly $2 billion on 829 projects across the state. Ninety-five cents of every dollar spent goes toward preserving existing infrastructure. Crews will improve 661 bridges and 7,626 miles of pavement, enough to cover the distance from Columbus to London, England and back. There are 222 projects aimed directly at improving safety on Ohio roads.

While overall traffic volumes in Ohio continue to trend slightly below pre-pandemic levels, truck traffic is more than 13% higher than the same period in 2019 and showing no signs of slowing down.

“Ohio is a state that makes and moves things, and a solid transportation system is key,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “Our investments have made Ohio an attractive place to do business, and ongoing improvements to our roads are essential for continued economic development and the safety of our travelers.”

Since the beginning of the DeWine Administration, ODOT has invested nearly $6 billion into more than 2,800 projects. These projects aren’t just targeted to motor vehicles. More than $450 million has been spent on safety projects like Safe Routes to School and nearly 400 pedestrian safety projects in Ohio’s 8 largest cities where these types of crashes are far too common, and dozens of intersections with a history of serious or deadly crashes.

“Safety has been the top priority since the first day of the DeWine Administration. We’re constantly looking for ways to better engineer our roads to ensure they’re as safe as possible for those who use them each day,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks. “However, drivers have an important role to play too. We need every motorist to buckle up, obey the speed limit, drive sober, and drop the distractions.”