The first project is at the intersections of U.S. Route 30 at Convoy-Heller Road and Payne Road, where State Route 49 intersects.
CONVOY, OH (WLIO) - It was a full house Monday night in Convoy as area residents learned about 3 upcoming major road construction projects in Van Wert County.
ODOT says these projects are needed as an increase in traffic and the number of fatal crashes have been noted.
The first project is at the intersections of U.S. Route 30 at Convoy-Heller Road and Payne Road, where State Route 49 intersects. At these two locations, ODOT plans to construct a restricted crossing U-turn similar to the concept at U.S. Route 30 and Thayer Road in Allen County. The second project consists of building an overpass taking Convoy Road over U.S. Route 30. There will be no access to U.S. Route 30 from Convoy Road. The third project is located at U.S. Route 224 and Lincoln Highway, where the intersection will be converted into a single-lane roundabout. ODOT says these projects are needed as an increase in traffic and the number of fatal crashes have been noted.
Construction of the Convoy Road overpass at U.S. Route 30 is scheduled to start in 2029.
"The intersections that we target with these types of projects are intersections where we have a history of not just crashes, but more importantly serious injury crashes and fatal crashes. And so, really, what we're trying to do here is target the most dangerous intersections in our region for improvements, and fortunately, we have some tools in the toolbox that we know will improve crashes, and not only improve crashes and not improve the safety but also really help traffic flow," says Chris Hughes, Deputy Director, ODOT District 1.
The estimated cost of all 3 projects combined is between $9 million and $14 million. Construction is set to begin in 2027 at the two intersections of U.S. Route 30 and State Route 49, as well as for the U.S. Route 224 and Lincoln Highway roundabout. Construction of the Convoy Road overpass at U.S. Route 30 is scheduled to start in 2029.
