MANSFIELD — K.E. McCartney & Associates of Mansfield on Thursday was awarded a $241,990 contract to oversee the construction of a a $2.44 million roundabout at the intersection of Lexington-Springmill and Home roads.
The Richland County Board of Commissioners approved the contract during a meeting with county Engineer Adam Gove.
Adena Corp. of Mansfield was awarded the construction contract in March for a project that will likely begin by the end of May, according to Gove, and be completed this fall.
The engineer said the county advertised for letters of interest from firms interested in administering the construction. He said three companies responded and told commissioners K.E. McCartney had the best proposal.
Gove said grant funding would cover 80 to 90 percent of the work done by McCartney.
The roundabout project has been four years in the making. A separate $591,755 design contract for the roundabout was awarded to EMHT of Columbus in 2023.
Grant funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Public Works Commission will cover 90 percent of the construction costs for the project, according to Gove, who has said about $350,000 in local funds will be needed.
The project will close the road for about 120 days and the B&O Trail at that location for 90 days, according to Gove.
The signed detour will utilize U.S. 42, Trimble Road and Park Avenue West, according to Gove.
“We realize those familiar with the area will find a shorter detour,” he has said.
The engineer has told commissioners studies have shown that intersection to be the most dangerous in a traffic corridor between Lexington and Ontario. That corridor is one of the busiest in the county, Gove said.
Also on Thursday, commissioners approved a $793,000 contract with R&I Construction of Tiffin to replace a Marion Avenue Road bridge in Springfield Township.
Gove said R&I submitted the lowest of three bids for the work, which had been estimated at $1,013,610.
He said the bridge project will be 100-percent funded through a grant from the Ohio County Engineers’ Association.
Gove said the current 60-foot steel beam bridge was built in the 1960s. It will be replaced by an 80-foot pre-stressed, concrete box beam bridge.
The bridge replacement, which will close the road for 120 days once it begins, is scheduled to be completed by October, according to Gove.
