T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGHTraffic backs up in both directions Wednesday evening on National Road in Brookside. The delay is due to work to replace a culvert and the bridge atop it at Patterson Road.
BROOKSIDE — “Be courteous. Be patient.”
That is Brookside Fire Chief Allen Ketzell III’s advice to motorists frustrated by delays on National Road in the village as work to replace a culvert and bridge at the intersection with Patterson Road takes place. The project is scheduled to take 90 days with a completion date of Oct. 31.
Ketzell and Brookside Mayor Richard Kurner set up seats in front of the municipal building on Wednesday evening and commented on the flow of traffic through the area. There have been a couple of occasions when emergency vehicles were attempting to leave the fire station and had to wait for dozens of vehicles to pass before another driver allowed it to enter the street.
“We were trying to get out the other day, and 30 cars went by before a driver let us in,” Ketzell noted. “People are not patient, and they don’t have any courtesy.”
Kurner said the closure of the Blaine Hill bridge a few miles west of the village has compounded the situation.
“I think a lot of our problems down through here right now, too, is them closing the Blaine bridge,” he said. “Now we’re getting all the Barton, Wolfhurst, Blaine and Lansing traffic coming through here that normally would have used the bridge. And even the eastbound traffic, if they would have kept that lane open, it would have relieved a lot of this down herebecause a lot of that traffic would stop out that way.
“But because we’ve got crazy drivers who can’t obey do not enter signs, then it’s ruined it for everybody.”
Kurner was referring to a decision by the Ohio Department of Transportation on Monday to completely close the viaduct-style structure that carries U.S. 40 up and down Blaine Hill between Belmont County Roads 10 and 214. ODOT had closed westbound lanes of the bridge in July while working to address structural issues. The full closure was a result of both safety concerns regarding the structure’s condition and the public’s refusal to follow posted signage restricting the bridge to a single lane of eastbound traffic, according to ODOT.
Both the bridge closure and the work at Patterson Road have received a great deal of attention on social media with people posting about excessive waits in traffic, delays in getting to their destinations, potential routes around the congestion and subsequent issues such as people speeding through residential neighborhoods.
The scofflaw attitude apparently extends from the bridge to Brookside, where Ketzell and Kurner said they had witnessed multiple drivers passing stopped traffic by using the wrong lane as well as many vehicles running red lights that are meant to control traffic flow through the work area.
In addition, they said drivers have been shouting at the construction workers and complaining to village officials.
“It’s like they want perfect roads, but they don’t want anybody to work on the roads,” Ketzell said.
Kurner said the congestion was extremely bad on the first day of the project; however, ODOT has since adjusted the timing of the traffic signals, causing conditions to improve.
Ketzell observed that the traffic delays have made it difficult for people to enter and exit area businesses and side streets. He added that while first responders could activate lights and sirens and force their way into or around the stream of traffic, because his department is made up of volunteers, members have difficulty getting to the station in the first place.
Ketzell suggested that road crews could continue to work into the evening hours during the nice summer weather in an effort to expedite the project.
The village leaders said the work at Patterson Road will be done in two phases: First sewer lines are being moved. Later, the bridge will be dismantled and a culvert box installed.
So far, Kurner said, it seems the traffic is heaviest during the morning and evening hours when people are typically commuting to and from work.
For those who need to use Patterson Road, a detour is in place. Drivers can take Walnut Avenue to Chestnut Street and reverse.
Lauren Borell, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Transportation, said the contractor for the project is Shelly and Sands Inc., and the cost for the project is $818,000.
The culvert runs beneath the roads and will be replaced for drainage, she said.
U.S. 40 will be open throughout the work, but Patterson Road is closed. Temporary traffic signals will be used as needed during construction, and flaggers have already been used.
The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 31.
“It’s just a real quick jaunt around for that detour. So, it’s just local traffic on that road for Patterson Road that will be affected,” Borell said. “But, I mean, it’s a very very short feature.”
Staff Writer Josie Burkhart contributed to this report.
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