Fredericksburg Road closed for 21 days as project begins

Ohio is known for its beautiful landscapes, thriving cities and charming small towns. It also is known for its extensive network of roads and highways that allow people to travel safely throughout the state.

They also require constant maintenance and attention.

Fredericksburg Road (County Road 501) in Franklin Township is receiving some of that attention through a safety improvement project requiring it to be closed for 21 days. The work will force the road’s closure just north of Moreland Road (County Road 77) to improve sight distance from the intersection. The project began June 26.

Brock Yoder, traffic safety supervisor, said the conditions at the intersection pose a risk to travelers.

“Fredericksburg Road is a heavily traveled road for commercial trucks going to Holmes County,” he said. “Moreland Road has a lot of Amish buggies and bicycles, and that combination makes this intersection very dangerous. Lowering the hill crest to the north will be a great safety improvement.”

Yoder is grateful the project is finally underway.

“This intersection has been on my priority list for improvement,” Yoder said. “We are thankful for the commissioners working with our office in conjunction with the Franklin Township trustees, Feikert Sand and Gravel, and Melway Paving to get this done before Fredericksburg Road gets repaved later this summer.”

Ohio’s roads are essential for commerce, transportation and tourism. However, they also can be dangerous if not properly maintained and improved.

Wayne County engineer Scott Miller knows the importance residents place on roads and roadway safety. When he discovers an unsafe area, he works to acquire funding from the state to resolve the issue.

“This particular project is special because of the involvement of a company in the general area of the concern, and Feikert Sand and Gravel offered to assist the county in fixing a dangerous intersection,” Miller said.

It is Miller’s responsibility to determine which projects in the county take priority. He oversees 500 miles of road and 489 bridges and must decide which ones are in the greatest need of repair.

“Our office routinely identifies and develops plans to resolve safety issues and concerns every year based upon accident data, increased traffic and other factors,” Miller said. “It is sometimes a very difficult balance to decide upon a safety improvement versus a road or bridge rebuild.”

Investing in road repairs and maintenance and implementing safety measures in high-risk areas can reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on Ohio’s roads.

“Unfortunately, due to construction schedules, we were unable to avoid the closure over the Fourth of July holiday, but detour routes will be posted,” Miller said. “Once the work on Fredericksburg Road is completed, crews will modify the approach on Moreland Road, east of the intersection. Resurfacing of Fredericksburg Road from Evans to Tolbert will take place later this summer.”

This project is in conjunction with the Wayne County Engineer’s Office, Franklin Township trustees, Feikert Sand and Gravel, and Melway Paving. Anyone with questions may call the Wayne County Engineer’s Office at 330-287-5500 or visit www.wayne-county-engineer.com.

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.