Work on a 6.5-mile stretch of Interstate 470 in Belmont County continues as crews have completed the inside lanes and are now moving to outside lanes and exit and entrance ramps.
The $11.7 million project began earlier this spring with crews closing the inside lanes in each direction from Interstate 70 in St. Clairsville to the Ohio state line at Ohio 7.
The existing pavement was removed and a new base and blacktop were put down. Additionally, crews replaced barrier walls at several sections along the roadway, including on the I-470 bridge at the West Virginia state line and under the I-70 overpass in St. Clairsville.
Article Photos
Photo by J.W. Johnson Jr.
The inside lanes of Interstate 470 in Belmont County are now open as crews move to work on the outside lanes and guardrails. The $11.7 million project is being done by Shelly and Sands Inc.
According to Ohio Department of Transportation spokeswoman Lauren Holdsworth, temporary barriers were also installed in the grass median during the first phase of the project. The barriers, which are strings of wire connected by several poles every few feet, are being used for protection as excavating work is completed. Holdsworth said the barriers will be removed once that part of the project is completed in a few months.
Crews from Shelly and Sands Inc. are also continuing grating and paving on the outside lanes and replacing guardrails, Holdsworth said.
The work is set for completion in October.
Work also continues on an 11-mile stretch of U.S. 40 between County Road 100 to the west corporation limit of St. Clairsville.
The road will also be resurfaced by Shelly and Sands. Crews will also resurface a 3-mile stretch of Ohio 149 from Ohio 147 to U.S. 40 in Morristown. The two projects combined will cost $3.8 million and are expected to be completed by Aug. 31.
An additional 6-mile section of Ohio 149 from U.S. 40 to the south corporation limit in Flushing will also be resurfaced, as will Ohio 331 from Ohio 149 to just west of Uniontown.
Those projects will cost about $2.2 million and have a completion date of July 31. ODOT officials said they did not expect work to interfere with the influx of traffic in Belmont County associated with Jamboree In The Hills, which takes place July 19-22.
