Galion area motorists heading to Mansfield and all points east along US30 have been dealing for well over a year with the major reconstruction project for the highway as it goes through Richland County.
The $61 million project has several goals, including the following:
- Replacement of various bridges, construction of a median barrier, and shoulder widening
- Upgrading the ramp merge from the eastbound state Route 13/state Route 545 entrance ramp to east of Fifth Avenue.
- Resurfacing of Longview Avenue from state Route 13 (N. Main Street) to state Route 545 (Olivesburg Road)
- Construction of new eastbound state Route 13/state Route 545 entrance and exit ramps. The new ramps will be constructed between the existing ramps, which will be removed as part of the project.
- Resurfacing the westbound state Route 13 entrance and exit ramps, and replacing pavement on the eastbound state Route 545 entrance and exit ramps. No changes will be made to the existing ramp geometry.
- Increasing the vertical clearance under the state Route 545 and the Fifth Avenue bridges.
- Removing the bridge over a driveway off of Longview Avenue.
- Completing maintenance on the U.S. 30 bridge over state Route 13.
- Adding corridor lighting and replacing the right-of-way fencing.
Work will address deteriorating pavements and poor bridge conditions on U.S. 30, and it will improve outdated design features to reduce the number and severity of crashes on U.S. 30 and its interchanges. U.S. 30 was originally constructed beginning in 1956. The road was most recently repaved in 2010 with pavement repairs in 2017, but the concrete base underneath the asphalt has deteriorated and requires ongoing repairs. The original bridges remaining in this section are also nearing the end of their lifespan.
Even though work has subsided with the arrival of colder weather, there may be intermittent work taking place. Continuing impacts include the following, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation:
- All lanes on U.S. 30 eastbound and U.S. 30 westbound are open. Motorists have access to all eastbound and westbound exit and entrance ramps.
- Resurfacing work will resume in Spring 2023.
Estimated completion of the entire project is May 2023.
