Muskingum Avenue Construction Set to Finish in July

Submitted by WHIZ Intern Maddie Luebkert

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Despite the recent weather, the City of Zanesville anticipates that Muskingum Avenue, also known as Dug Road, will be ready for Zanesville drivers in July. 

The $5.5 million Dug Road Project sought to protect the busy road from debris sliding off of the hillside nearby. Now, Zanesville Mayor Don Mason estimates the work should be completed this summer. 

“We’ve had some issues with rain delays, but we believe it should be open before the construction deadline, which is the end of July. We believe it should be open somewhere by the beginning to the middle of July,” Zanesville Mayor Mason said. 

The weather has not been the only factor pushing back the date of completion. Landslides from the hill have also slowed construction in recent months. The slippage and heavy rain have delayed the project deadline from the fall of 2025 to May, and now July. 

“This has been some of the worst weather I’ve experienced just in the last three or four months in terms of, I don’t think we’ve hit spring yet. Or maybe we’re still in spring. But I am expecting Dug Road to be open somewhere in the month of July, looking forward to it helping get people to and from work, to and from school in the coming year,” Mayor Mason said.

Before it went under construction, traffic traveling on Dug Road included 5,500 to 5,600 cars a day according to Mayor Mason. The city hopes that the completion of the construction will help drivers who have changed their normal routes due to the construction.