Question: “When is the tunnel on Trimble Road going to be done? It has been 45 days. It sure is annoying. Thanks.”
MANSFIELD — A delay in the arrival of concrete box sections has delayed completion of a tunnel beneath Trimble Road, according to City of Mansfield engineer Bob Bianchi.
As such, the busy road will remain closed until Oct. 17 — two weeks past the scheduled date.
Trimble Road closed Aug. 19 and was scheduled to be closed for 45 days, just south of the Akron Children’s Mansfield Health Center,
The $1.2-million tunnel project beneath Trimble Road will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to safely cross beneath the busy street when an accompanying planned B&O Trail connector project is complete.
“The major issue was a two-week delay for Adena (Corp.) had in getting those concrete box sections delivered,” Bianchi said. “They were supposed to be delivered at the end of August and they came in Sept. 11.
“Once they were delivered, Adena worked diligently and had them installed in one day,” the engineer said.
The delay in getting Trimble Road reopened will cost Adena $8,400, according to Bianchi. He said there is a $600 per day “disincentive” for the company for each day the road is closed beyond 45 days.
“That is going to be implemented, even though Adena has been working hard to get this project complete and Trimble Road reopened,” he said.
Even after the road is again open, construction will continue at the site, according to Bianchi.
Construction will continue along the edges of the pavement and a concrete walk will be poured from the existing walk down to the tunnel, he said. Bianchi said more grading needs to be done, seeding needs to occur, brick work done and retaining walls painted.
“Our goal right now is to get Trimble Road reopened ASAP,” he said Thursday morning. “The tunnel is designed to last 75 years. The long-term benefit will far outweigh the short-term inconvenience.”
“Our goal in everything we do is to make Mansfield a better place to live. We are excited for the end result. We know there is pain during construction. But we know the end result will give this community a great amenity to enjoy for many years to come,” Bianchi said.
“This project will improve connectivity, give residents a safe and accessible place for walking and biking, provide another transportation option and hopefully attract tourists and local residents to the trail system,” he said.
The Oct. 17 date is dependent upon weather, he said.
“Adena has had some (wet) weather to contend with. Most of the weather has been conducive to the work they are doing. But near the end, they did have some weather to deal with and it slowed their progress,” he said.
“I really believe people will enjoy the trail and appreciate traveling under Trimble Road rather than across it,” Bianchi said.
The tunnel is a key part of the larger project that officials began discussing in the fall of 2022 that will see a 1.25-mile, 10-foot wide multi-use path constructed from a parking lot about 250 feet south of the Marion Avenue and B&O Trail intersection to — and then under — Trimble Road.
Work on the $1.9 million connector trail between the B&O and Trimble Road is scheduled to begin in February and be complete by next fall.
Mansfield City Council in March approved the project, which will feature a tunnel 96 feet in length, 15 feet wide and almost 11 feet high.
According to Bianchi, the tunnel under the 63-foot wide road is funded by:
— $700,000 from American Rescue Plan Act dollars approved by Richland County commissioners;
— $250,000 from the city’s ARPA;
— $200,000 from the Richland County Foundation;
— $91,123 from the city’s permissive sales tax;
— $61,597 from the city sewer fund;
— $67,915 from the city water fund.
“The sewer and water funds will be used only for sewer- and water-related portions of the project,” Bianchi said.
