'Really a godsend.' Stark County secures funds to rehab 2 aging bridges in Massillon
MASSILLON − More than $3 million is coming to Stark County from the state to rehabilitate two bridges on Cherry Road NW.
The bridges, located in Massillon, are side by side. The first crosses the Tuscarawas River, and the second, just west of that, crosses three railroad tracks. Built at the same time in the late 1940s, the bridges will be getting a deck rehabilitation and some paint touch-ups.
County Bridge Engineer Scott Basinger said the spans are still in good shape but are in need of repair.
"It's just aging," he said. "There's a lot of general bridge items that are really deteriorating."
He said the project will include resurfacing of the bridges and some painting in areas where the steel beams are rusting.
"The deck is still generally in good shape, but there's a lot of patching that needs to be done," he said.
Why is Stark County receiving bridge money?
The bridge project is one of 17 in 12 counties that will receive money through the Ohio Department of Transportation's Local Major Bridge Program. It is the first time this project is receiving funding from the program.
The state is handing out nearly $59.5 million for the program. To qualify, the bridge must be a moveable/lift bridge or a bridge having a deck area greater than 15,000 square feet.
"We expanded this program to make an impact on more communities," Gov. Mike DeWine said in a prepared statement. "With these funding awards, we're helping local communities invest in the upkeep or replacement of bridges to ensure that those who cross them are safe."
Basinger said he is grateful the state funded the project. He said the county has been trying to get funding for the project for a while with no success.
"It's kind of different than a lot of our bridge projects where we know a bridge is at the end of its life and we want to replace it," he said. "This bridge still rates a six, which isn't bad on the inspection scale, so it's hard to get funding when the rating is that high, even though there's some rehab items that really, really need to be done.
"This was really a godsend."
The state's money, a total of $3.3 million for the county, will cover about 95% of the total project. Basinger said the county plans to apply for local matching funds to cover the remainder.
Next steps for the project will be for the county to work with ODOT to continue design and development. Construction on the bridges will not begin until after bids are awarded in 2026.
Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County secures ODOT funding for bridge repairs in Massillon
