By Kelly Doran
Sun staff
Nearly four miles of US 52 will be repaved this fall, after years of planning.
A section of US 52 from mile marker 2.69 to 6.72 is due to be repaved and construction will likely begin in the fall this year, said Elizabeth Lyons, public information specialist with District 8 of the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The section of the highway, which is in the village of New Richmond, will be a “mill and fill” project, said Lyons in an email, which means that three inches of asphalt will be removed and replaced.
The highway first was first built during the 1960s and makes a commute to downtown Cincinnati easy, said Greg Roberts, village administrator.
However, it did cause demographic issues because the highway splits New Richmond.
Roberts hopes that the highway can now become something that unites New Richmond rather than divides it by recognizing that it an important aspect of the village.
Another way could be finding safe ways for pedestrians to cross the highway, said Roberts.
There are now just two places that pedestrians are allowed to cross.
“There is a need for people to physically walk across US 52 and we should look into ways to make that a possibility in the safest way possible,” Roberts said, although there are no plans for any changes yet.
People do disobey no-crossing areas, though, and Roberts hopes to be able to work with ODOT to decrease those incidents.
“I think its an opportunity to hopefully address longstanding issues that make other forms of transportation safer and more attractive to people who aren’t always in a motor vehicle,” Roberts said.
Roberts will also have to address a curb on Sycamore Street because it does not have the American Disabilities Act required ramp. However, the curb intersects with a no-crossing area of US 52, he said, so a curb would give disabled people the same opportunity to break the law.
Roberts hopes that he will be able to work with ODOT to find a good solution to that issue.
“My intention is to engage them in a conversation to work together to achieve mutual goals,” Roberts said.
The project will be put out to bid and ODOT plans to pick a contractor on August 27, Lyons said. The contractor will likely sign two weeks later and then set a work start date. The work will take somewhere between 90-120 days.