Dug Road Hillside Update

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The rugged terrain of our area is subject to the wear and tear of nature, which often loosens hillside soils just enough to sink area roads, even while they’re under construction. 

Zanesville Mayor Don Mason shared details about the Muskingum Avenue and Putnam Hill Park construction project often referred to as the Dug Road project that aims to reinforce the hillside that gave way, which forced the road’s closure.

“The Dug Road project was proceeding very well, ahead of time.” Mason said. “And with this most recent slip we have had to submit a change order to the Federal Emergency Management Administration and then more steel will be ordered to help reinforce the roadway. Our goal, we hope, still, to have the work completed this year.”

Mason estimated the recent hillside slippage to cost an additional $800,000 Dollars, raising the overall cost of the project to more than $5.5 Million Dollars. He added that the supplemental funding will be available once FEMA processes the paperwork and releases the check and that step could delay the roadway’s reopening until 2025.  

“Prior to the construction of I-70 and the closure of Dug Road, around 5,500 to 5,600 cars-a-day traversed this direction,” Mason said. “So it could be affecting a few hundred more cars-a-day and take that number to over 6,000 cars-a-day. This is a very major street.”

Mason noted that the excavated hillside materials will be relocated back to the top of the hill to renovate the city’s Putnam Hill Park. Plans reveal that there are enough materials to double the park’s acreage.