After Nearly 7 Years Dug Road is Officially Open

Zanesville, Ohio — Dug Road is officially open.

Zanesville Mayor Don Mason and the Muskingum County Chamber of Commerce kicked off the parade with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Then, Mayor Mason hopped in his car to lead the way.

He thanked the city council for supporting the preliminary design plans, state senators and representatives for their state budget contributions, the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District for their generous grant, and both Ohio Emergency Management and FEMA.

Mayor Mason said the road has been designed so the city won’t have to close or tend to it for another 40 years.

“This is a big day for all of us in Zanesville. Dug Road has either been decommissioned or closed now more or less for 7 years, and it’s deprived a lot of people in the area of easy means of access to and from different parts of the city. I also think it has almost dampened the spirit,” Mayor Mason said.

Cars lined the road to commemorate the caution tape being cut and the road finally reopening. The parade featured historic cars to mark the importance of this historic route.

“I think it shows that what is difficult, we can get it done. People have to learn, you can win, we can win. This was a difficult project, but everybody worked together, we got it done,” Mayor Mason stated. 

This road opening is just one of many ways the city is working to improve the area. Future development plans are also in the works for Putnam.