Of the variety of projects undertaken by the Miami County Engineer’s Office in 2015, one of the highest profile removed the low clearance railroad overpass on Eldean Road that snagged more than a few trucks over the years.
The reconstructed CSX spur line overpass just west of the County Road 25A intersection north of Troy cost around $3.5 million and was completed late last year. The county’s share was around $700,000 with the balance paid by federal funds.
The project was one of several highlighted by county Engineer Paul Huelskamp in outlining his annual report March 29 for the county commission.
“Due to this project we hope that the various and asundry hittings of the structure will no longer happen,” Huelskamp said.
The overpass previously at 9 feet 8 inches now has a 14-foot clearance.
The department in 2015 spent $13,257,744 for road and bridge construction and maintenance, administration, road salt, fuel and ditch maintenance.
Funding sources included the county bridge levy at $780,991; gasoline excise tax, $2,356,713; state and federal grants, $4,489,977; motor vehicle registration fees, $3,361,281; and ditch revenues, $84,857, among others.
While the Eldean overpass project was under way, so was the replacement nearby of the Eldean Road Bridge over the Great Miami River. That project was done with 95 percent federal funds.
In addition to those and other bridge projects, the department contracted with JR Jurgensen Co. to conduct the county’s road paving program covering 10.72 miles for $766,255. The county maintains 424 miles of road, and has another 10 miles scheduled for paving this year under the annual program.
Work also is ongoing to address threats to the roads and right of way including removal of invasive plants like the Japanese Honeysuckle, which can interfere with sight distance along roads, and removal of dead ash trees. The number of ash trees impacted by the deadly Emerald Ash Borer and needing removed is in the hundreds in close proximity to roads across the county, Huelskamp said.
The removal programs will continue as time and finances allow, he said.
The department last year also replaced 331 county and township signs to comply with new retro reflectivity requirements. The changes are required for better sign visibility 24 hours a day.
The department also:
- Continued with the culvert replacement program by replacing 41 structures,
- Continued with the ditch maintenance program,
- Worked with the sheriff’s department on collection of data from accident reports (more than 850 in 2015). Starting this year, deputies will enter information into a countywide database. This will allow the engineer’s staff to access the database to research specific roads, intersections, bridges instead of going through each report filed, Huelskamp said.
- Applied 1,110 tons of salt during the 2015-16 winter season. The department’s total cost for the season for labor, materials and equipment was $160,780.
