HANCOCK COUNTY, Ohio — With spring in Ohio comes flowers, wildlife and backyard barbeques. And in Northwest Ohio specifically, spring brings orange construction barrels.
And for ODOT District 1, a major construction project in Hancock County is expected to improve safety.
For years, the only way to cross a stretch of state Route 15 in Hancock County is to wait for enough room between the highway traffic.
But as more traffic has been using the US 23 corridor, the section of state Route 15 has seen an increase in severe and deadly accidents, which is why ODOT has been working to close off the at-grade intersections to make the route safer.
"Part of our long-range plan is to upgrade highways like state Route 15 to fully limited access, or interstate look-a-like as we would say, where the only way to get on and off would be a ramp," ODOT District 1 Deputy Director Chris Hughes said.
While many of these intersections will be completely closed off, ODOT will begin construction of two overpasses at county roads 180 and 169.
Each project will cost an estimated $5 million and will ensure a safe way across the four-lane highway while also improving safety for all drivers.
"We want to make sure that our community and those traveling through our community are not having those interactions at those intersections where it's really dangerous to cross," Hancock County Engineer Doug Cade said.
Both of the new state Route 15 overpass projects will begin in earnest in April and are expected to be wrapped up by the end of the year.
ODOT officially kicked off the 2023 construction season on Wednesday. According to local officials, this year will see a record investment in Ohio infrastructure with more than 1,000 road projects.
But more projects means more construction crews on the road.
"Statewide since 2018, there's been more than 25,000 work zone-related crashes," Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan Purpura said. "Again, that's far too many. It really comes down to the motoring public just being patient in the work zones. And often times just because you were through there yesterday doesn't mean it's going to be the same today. They change on sometimes a daily basis, weekly basis with the project as it evolves."
There were 133 incidents of equipment being hit in a construction zone last year, ODOT officials said.
So as ODOT crews are preparing to get back out on highways and interstates, everyone driving should also be preparing to take it slow and pay attention when orange barrels are around, Purpura said.
"We just really want people, as they're driving through these work zones, to understand that there are people working," Hughes said. "There are men and women out there trying to get the job done and they want to get home at the end of the day. So please use caution and respect those people out there working."