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Disaster Declaration Means More Storm Damage Funding in Ohio

Another round of storms last month has resulted in a disaster declaration by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for Belmont County and 36 other counties in the state.

According to a press release from DeWine’s office, the declaration will allow the Ohio Department of Transportation and local governments to apply for federal relief funds.

“Many of these roads are in dangerous condition, impacting the safety of Ohio’s drivers. By declaring a state of emergency, Ohio can now access federal funding to help with the unplanned costs to repair the highways damaged by heavy rain and flooding,” DeWine stated.

Pease Township Trustee Mike Bianconi said the February storm caused another three or four slips to occur in his township.

“We have $650,000 in additional slips,” Bianconi said, noting damage also occurred in February 2018.

He noted one of the larger slips is located along Beeson Lane off U.S. 250.

“It’s our terrain. … The ground is saturated and it keeps moving,” he said.

Another large slip is located in the Washington Heights area off Ferryview Road, he said.

Bianconi said his township already has applied with the state for emergency funding.

During the February 2018 storm, Bianconi said his township alone had 10 different slips occur. Funding for those projects will be covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency funding sought by the township via the Belmont County Commission. An engineer, Aecom of Columbus, has been hired to design remedies for all the projects. The township had to choose from a list of pre-approved engineers provided to the county from FEMA. Once the engineering designs are complete, the plans must be submitted to FEMA before they can be bid out and contractors hired.

One of the worst from February 2018 is on Rixson Road in Bridgeport. Bianconi said the road is so bad two families who live there cannot drive on it, but must walk to reach their homes.

Belmont County Engineer Terry Lively said he hopes President Donald Trump will now declare a federal disaster for the counties to open up FEMA money. He noted a governor’s declaration is typically followed by a federal declaration.

“We definitely need the help. When you have over $6 million in damages and your budget is less than $6 million it’s tough to get it repaired,” Lively said.

Lively noted February’s storm occurred during conditions similar to February 2018.

“We had a freeze followed by a rapid thaw and rain. This wasn’t as bad a last year’s, but it was similar,” he said. “We are in the process of putting together lists together.”

One of the worst slips include Crabapple Road, County Road 10, near Bannock. A section of it is down to one lane. A section of New Cut Road near Shadyside also is nearly down to one lane.

In addition to Belmont County, other local counties included in DeWine’s declaration are Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson and Monroe. Other counties in the state in the declaration are: Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Knox, Lawrence, Licking, Meigs, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Warren and Washington.

Lively said regarding the February 2018 damages, the county is “very close” to being able to bid out those projects and the repairs started.

“Only two were repaired from last year. They were federal highways emergency projects. The other ones we had to go through the normal process,” Lively said. “It’s been a long, exhaustive process.”

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