Press Release from the Ohio Department of Transportation: Lima, Ohio (August 14, 2023) – The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 invites the public to review a prerecorded, online presentation regarding a proposed safety improvement that will construct an overpass at the intersection of State Route 15 and County Road 193 in Hancock County.
“The need for this project, and the State Route 15 overpass projects currently under construction, arose due to the history of crashes at the crossings,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “These overpasses would not be possible without steady local support to improve safety,” he said.
The proposed project would remove access to State Route 15 by constructing an overpass bridge on County Road 193. ODOT is proposing the project to control access to the divided highway, improve safety, and reduce crashes.
Construction is tentatively expected to begin in 2025.
County Road 193 was selected for an overpass in support of public safety and economic access. County Road 193 allows access to the area southwest of State Route 15 for emergency responders. Also, an overpass here will provide farmers with a location to safely cross State Route 15 and deliver their commodities to the grain elevator.
The project is expected to cost approximately $6.3 million, including design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction costs. Funding for the construction of the overpass is provided through ODOT's Highway Safety Improvement Program, the Hancock County Engineer, and the County Engineers Association of Ohio (CEAO). The funding application was sponsored and submitted in partnership with the Hancock County Engineer. The safety funding is possible due to increases made under Governor DeWine, who secured additional funding through the increased gas user fee.
“We wanted to accomplish three primary goals: improve safety, maintain access for emergency services, and provide good connectivity for our agri-business community to deliver their commodities," said Doug Cade, Hancock County engineer. "With the close proximity of the interchanges at State Route 330 and State Route 37, an overpass accomplished these goals," he said.
A pre-recorded presentation will be published online and will explain the overall proposed project and present the initial design. The intention of the presentation is to introduce the project and gather community input. The presentation and all materials regarding the project will be available beginning Aug. 15, 2023, and will remain, for an indefinite time, at the following website www.transportation.ohio.gov/Hancock193.
The public is asked to review the presentation and project materials and provide feedback. Comments regarding the project may be submitted on the website through the comment submittal form or by direct contact at the number below.
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To be included in the official project record, comments are requested by Sept. 15, 2023, but will be accepted at any time.
Individuals without computer access can request a transcript and hard copy of the presentation by contacting ODOT District 1 at the number provided below. Individuals who require interpretation services or a reasonable accommodation to view the project material or provide comments are asked to contact ODOT at the number below. Public participation in this project is solicited without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.
Questions or comments regarding the project may be directed to Robert Hissong, project manager, at (419) 999-6896 or by email at Robert.Hissong@dot.ohio.gov.
