45-day closure: Road construction project planned for Ohio 39 west of Dover
DOVER TOWNSHIP ‒ Ohio 39 ‒ the gateway to Ohio's Amish Country ‒ will be closed for 45 days beginning July 8 for a road construction project to improve sight distance at the entrance to the Kimble Companies landfill just west of Dover.
The $1.23 million project will involve realigning the highway and removing a hump that can obstruct the view of motorists, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The work will be done by Mark Schaffer Excavating & Trucking of Norwalk.
The road will close from Ervin Road to the Kimble Companies entrance. The Kimble entrance will remain open and accessible from Ohio 39 west of the construction zone.
Other projects: Ohio Department of Transportation plans to spend $15 million in Tuscarawas County in 2024
Detour route
From Dover, traffic will be detoured north along Ohio 516 to Dundee and then south on Ohio 93 to Sugarcreek and Ohio 39. The detour from Sugarcreek will take Ohio 93 north to Dundee and then south on Ohio 516 back to Ohio 39 near Dover. Local traffic can travel from Dover to Sugarcreek using Crooked Run Road (County Road 52) and Schilling Hill Road (County Road 79) to reach Ohio 39 near the Breitenbach Wine Cellars.
Temporary mailboxes may be implemented to accommodate the U.S. Postal Service, but residents will be notified in advance should that be required. All other delivery services will be permitted to deliver as usual through the closure.
Lauren Borell, public information officer for ODOT District 11, said it was necessary to close the highway during the summer months because the project involves major excavation.
A traffic study taken on April 28, 2023, showed that 10,314 vehicles ‒ including 9,524 cars and 790 trucks ‒ traveled on an average day on Ohio 39 between Broad Run Dairy Road (County Road 78) and Red Hill Road (Dover Township Road 384), which includes the closure area.
Impact of the closure
Services for aggregate, recycling and disposal at the landfill will not be impacted during the project, according to the Kimble Companies.
Amish Country draws nearly 4 million tourists per year.
"The road closure is going to have an impact on not just the tourists coming to the area but also to the businesses that are located around the closure," said Kenzie Gallion, interactive content designer for the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau.
The bureau will be using social media posts and other forms of communication to alert visitors to Amish Country about the closure.
"We are working on putting together the best possible solution to make it easy on our tourists, including maps with detours," she said.
The construction project will also have an impact on the Dover campus of NewPointe Community Church, located near the landfill at 3950 State Route 39 NW.
"The closure of Route 39 at the Kimble Landfill will definitely impact our community, especially on Sundays when we have services," said Kyle Alt, the church's director of design and communications. "We anticipate that the closure will create some detours, but hopefully with minimal hassle.
"We are not recommending specific routes but are encouraging people to follow ODOT's updates and detour information. We will be getting this information out through Sunday announcements and email to ensure everyone stays informed."
Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Ohio 39 west of Dover will close for construction project
