Ohio’s Bridge Partnership Benefiting Muskingum County

The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Ohio Bridge Partnership Program is helping to replace bridges throughout the state.

Over three years nearly $120 million is being granted to county engineer offices across the state. There are 11 bridges in Muskingum County that have qualified for this program, and they will be replaced over the next three years.

"There’s a tremendous need at the local level, particularly in the rural counties to repair some of the older bridges," said the Director of ODOT, Jerry Wray, "Bridges don’t get better with age, so they have to be maintained, and repaired and eventually replaced."

Currently in Muskingum County the Foxfire bridge is being replaced. It is costing the state $654,480. The average cost to repair the bridges in Muskingum County will be around $500,000 each.

"This program here thanks to the governor is 100 percent state-wide paid for," said Muskingum County Engineer, Doug Davis, "So this bridge cost us nothing. This bridge would have been programmed here in the next couple years for us slated for replacement."

Over the next three years the program is investing $7.3 million in Muskingum County and over $15 million in district five. More than 200 bridges will be replaced statewide through this project.