PLYMOUTH — It’s not a bridge too far. But it is a bridge gone far too long.
That’s why Richland County commissioners on Tuesday agreed to help cover a funding shortfall needed to cover a long-awaited $3.1 million bridge replacement in the village of Plymouth.
Commissioners, in conjunction with county Engineer Adam Gove, promised to contribute up to $350,000, provided Huron County commissioners agree to do the same since the village of about 1,700 residents has a downtown that straddles the line between the two counties.
The bridge at West Broadway Street and Baseline Road, built in 1950, has been closed for more than three years. Ashland Railway closed the bridge in July 2022 due to safety concerns.
Safe to say, it’s been a thorn in the village’s side ever since, a pain that may be plucked in 2026.
The three-member panel approved the capital fund expenditure during a meeting with Gove and Plymouth Mayor Cassaundra Fryman.
Fryman said the village has received a $1.8 million municipal bridge replacement grant and expect to be approved for $500,000 in an Ohio Public Works Grant. Engineering and in-kind services are being handled through the Ohio Rail Development Commission and Ashland Railway.
Fryman said that leaves a gap of $792,000, adding the village is prepared to cover $92,000 of that total.
Gove said he believes his department can supply about $100,000 from its bridges and streets fund and commissioners agreed to cover the remainder from its capital funds.
Fryman, who said she will meet with Huron County commissioners next week, said the bridge closure has literally divided the village.
“It is always at the forefront of my community’s mind because you can’t drive through town without seeing the road closure,” she told commissioners. “On behalf of the village and our frustrated residents, I am extremely grateful. We’re working hard to get this done.”
The bridge proposal includes a three-span, concrete bridge with a 20-foot vertical clearance for trains traveling underneath. Fryman said most main line railroads prefer a 23-foot vertical clearance, but Ashland Railway was willing to work with the village and ultimately come to an agreement.
The proposal also features new sidewalks running east to west along both sides of the bridge and a five-foot retaining wall along the west side of the structure.
Richland County Commissioner Cliff Mears said he has discussed the project with his Huron County counterparts.
“In my conversations with them, it was reviewing the importance,” Mears said. “The fact that it’s gone on this long and the fact we really need to reinforce the partnership between the two counties.”
Gove said the work would be an Ohio Department of Transportation-led project. Once the funding is secured and a contractor is selected through the bidding process, the work itself is expected to take four to six months.
Cost estimates for the bridge project have risen sharply since initial estimates. As of May 2025, the work was estimated at $2.1 million.
Fryman said the soil and landscape around the bridge tested poorly and that additional supports have to be driven deep into the ground to support the bridge and that additional infrastructure is needed.
