Located in east central Ohio, the city of Zanesville is home to over 25,000 people along the Licking and Muskingum rivers. Also traversing through Zanesville is Interstate 70, which runs over 2,000 miles from western Utah to just outside Baltimore, Maryland.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and general contractor, Shelly and Sands, are in the middle of a large project on I-70 in Zanesville.
The I-70 reconstruction project touches 16 bridges throughout the 3-mile project area. The bridges were built in the 1960s as part of interstate construction. The current project is the first major project impacting the bridges since the 1990s.
"The project is being driven by the deterioration of the bridges," said Michelle Sidwell, an ODOT Area Engineer. "This project will allow us to ensure the bridges meet today's standards."
The bridgework involves superstructure replacement and abutment rehabilitation on 13 structures, including eight steel beam bridges, five concrete slab bridges, complete reconstruction of one steel girder bridge, and minor rehabilitation work on one spandrel steel arch structure.
| Your local Deere & Co dealer |
|---|
| West Side Tractor Sales Co |
The team is also removing a bridge that runs over an abandoned railroad. The most extensive work is taking place on the over 900-foot Muskingum River bridge.
In addition to the bridgework, the team is reconstructing I-70 as part of the project. They are doing a full-depth pavement reclamation. The existing pavement is being replaced with stabilized subgrade and full-depth asphalt. Twelve ramps are also being replaced.
Other work includes the replacement of the median barrier and the installation of new lighting and drainage.
In 2023, the four-lane highway’s average daily traffic along this stretch of I-70 was 40,620.
| Your local Gomaco dealer |
|---|
| Fabick CAT/MO |
The project corridor is long and narrow. It runs through downtown Zanesville and crosses several railroads and rivers, further complicating access.
"We're doing a significant amount of bridgework in a small area," said Austin Bates, a Project Engineer with Shelly and Sands.
"The tightness of the zone prevents us from being able to access all the bridges at one time,” Sidwell added. “This factor contributes to the length of the project. We can't build some structures until others are complete."
The contract requires that two lanes remain open in each direction on I-70, with the exception of temporary nighttime closures.
| Your local Atlas Copco CMT USA dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
To meet this requirement, drivers are shifted onto the existing shoulder. While this satisfies the requirement to keep the lanes open, it comes with its own challenges.
ODOT increased signage and piloted smart arrow boards to direct motorists to the zone. They also put in cameras that enable them to see the entirety of the zone.
If an accident occurs, it can lead to significant back-ups, and emergency medical services (EMS) are severely hindered when trying to reach those in need. ODOT knew that maintenance of traffic would be a challenge and took steps in advance to prepare, particularly for EMS traffic flow.
"We set up a mock work zone for EMS to experience what it would look like to extract people and vehicles before we began construction," Sidwell said. The mock work zone was found to be useful.
| Your local Wirtgen America dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
“EMS realized the need for additional equipment and resources to allow them to more efficiently communicate and transport patients inside the unique landscape of the area,” Sidwell said. “It stressed the importance of working with our local partners during incidents that may detour traffic onto local roadways. We also pre-staged maintenance of traffic assets to be prepared for anything that may impact the zone.”
On this project, a contraflow traffic pattern was created to help manage construction and maintain traffic flow on I-70. A permanent 57-inch median barrier was installed to safely separate traffic traveling in the same direction.
Eastbound traffic is split into two lanes: the left (passing) lane crosses over into what is normally the westbound side, forming a temporary contraflow lane. This lane acts as an express route through the work zone, with no exits until after construction. The right (driving) lane remains on the eastbound side and allows access to downtown Zanesville.
Meanwhile, two narrow lanes are maintained for westbound traffic.
| Your local Bobcat dealer |
|---|
| O'Leary's Contractors Equipment & Supply |
“This setup provides flexibility for construction while keeping traffic moving efficiently in both directions,” Sidwell said.
The lane is just 10.5 feet wide, so wide loads cannot use this section of the highway. The team put in oversized load detour signage to alert drivers of the restrictions.
Shoulders are not built to handle regular traffic, so shifting traffic onto them can be troublesome.
"We've experienced deteriorating pavement conditions and have had to pave several times to maintain the existing asphalt," Bates said.
| Your local Wirtgen America dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
"When this occurred, we've had to take a timeout from contract work and do nightwork to keep the road from falling apart," he added. "You can't plan for this issue."
Another challenge of the tight zone is that the paver does not fit.
"We can't use the paver without impeding traffic flow," Sidwell said. "So, we shifted westbound into the contraflow lane every night and take it down each morning." According to Sidwell, although the setup takes 1.5 hours, it is well worth it.
Storing materials and moving them within the project area is also difficult. The challenge impacts the bridge over the Muskingum River in particular.
| Your local Komatsu America Corp dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
"We considered utilizing a barge, but determined it wasn't necessary," Bates said. Instead, they erected a working platform underneath the existing girders that span the Muskingum River.
"Each night, we transport materials we'll need the next day," Bates added.
Other challenges the team is dealing with on the project include material supplies and workforce staffing, according to Ryan Grezlik, a General Bridge Superintendent for Shelly and Sands.
Grezlik said that the supply issue has eased as the project has moved on, but staffing issues remain. One of the reasons for this is that many projects are going on around the state. To compensate for the staffing issues, Grezlik said that employees are “working more hours and we're bouncing people around between projects.”
| Your local LeeBoy dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
Shelly and Sands have worked with ODOT many times, and the work is right up their alley. The company is a major contractor in the area, with its headquarters in Zanesville. Therefore, the company has a vested interest in the project and is intimately familiar with the area.
"Our ownership takes pride in doing work in our hometown," Bates said, "so we were especially happy when we were awarded the project."
The original construction budget for the project was $88 million. However, the price has since risen to $92 million. There have been run-of-the-mill change orders, but the primary reason costs have gone up is maintenance of traffic and the need to repair the existing pavement multiple times.
The federal government is providing 67.5 percent of the funding, while the state is picking up the remaining 32.5 percent.
| Your local Takeuchi Mfg Ltd dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
The project began in summer 2021, and it is expected to conclude in spring 2028. The original completion date was fall 2027.
The state granted the general contractor an extra 22 working days due to the extra work and unique challenges of the project. The extra days pushed the team into the winter, when work shuts down in eastern Ohio. Hence, the lengthier addition to the schedule.
Another issue that led to the completion date being pushed back is extra work in phase one, which delayed phase two. The team put in additional median wall lighting boxes.
"We went from doing slip form to hand forming, which hindered production," Bates said. The change was made because some steel inlets on the wall had to be maintained and sawed out before the team could put the grades in.
| Your local Case Construction Equipment Inc dealer |
|---|
| Birkey's Construction Equipment |
The project is being constructed in four phases. The duration of the project was necessitated by limited access throughout the corridor. The project runs through downtown Zanesville, limiting available space for construction activities.
Before this project began, ODOT regularly had lane closures in the area because of the need to perform bridge and pavement maintenance. So, area residents were aware of the need for this project.
“Once complete, this project will provide the public with a safer, significantly improved roadway that requires less maintenance, meaning fewer lane closures and delays for travelers," Sidwell said.
To help residents deal with the construction, ODOT keeps them involved with regular communication. During town events, the department coordinates with residents to minimize disruption, according to Chas Cosgrave, a Public Information Officer with ODOT.
| Your local Sennebogen LLC dealer |
|---|
| Brandeis Machinery |
"They know it's a temporary inconvenience and that we're ripping off the Band-Aid," Cosgrave said. "When we're done, they'll have an improved highway that better serves the needs of our public."
- Owner: Ohio Department of Transportation; Project Engineer, Michelle Sidwell, PE
- General Contractor: Shelly and Sands, Zanesville, Ohio; Project Engineer, Austin Bates
- Designer: ODOT District 5 Engineering
- Other Key Contractors: Complete General Construction Co., Columbus, Ohio
