The Muskingum County Engineer Met With County Commissioners to Discuss Repair Funds to International Road
MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- With many road projects ahead, the Muskingum Engineer met with the County Commissioners to discuss remodel of the International Road that goes into The Wilds Safari Park.
The project is expected to cost $600,000, which doesn’t include the chip and sealing process, but will be done once the road is repaired.
“It’s been impacted by a construction project down there and we need to do some repairs. We’d like to do the repairs before The Wilds open next year. We’re looking at multiple ways to do repairs and try to figure out which one is the most cost effective way to make the repairs and get the roads to where it’s passible,” said Mark Eicher, the County Engineer for Muskingum County.
During the meeting, Eicher discussed how the contractor, who was awarded the project, was not able to get the materials, which lead the County Engineer to lay temporary striping throughout the winter. He said that permanent striping should be put down later in the spring.
Ohio received $9.2 billion for highways and $484 million for bridge replacement and repairs through the recently approved Infrastructure Bill, however, Eicher explains why the bill might not assist with their local project.
“I do know that the cost of materials and everything are skyrocketing. They’re basically going through the roof,” Eicher stated. “The inflation is going to be a lot larger than we’ve ever anticipated so at this point in time, the Infrastructure Bill is hurting us more than helping us because we haven’t seen anything from it, the locals haven’t.”
Eicher said they are looking at 15 to 20 percent increase in emotion for stone, asphalt and more, which reduces the amount of work they can complete.
The County Commissioners didn’t approve anything but a verbal agreement that provides help as long as the County Engineer can receive additional help and funds from other organizations like the Ohio Department of Transportation.
