Dover road work beginning
By Jeff Gallatin
Westshore
Published June 10, 2009

City and project officials on both ends of the Dover Center and Dover roads corridor are gearing up for the start this month of major construction projects on the well-traveled roadway.

Both North Olmsted and Bay Village city officials are making final preparations for the start of work.

In North Olmsted, officials said the start can’t come soon enough for the more than $1 million project on the Dover Center roadway which hasn’t seen major repair work since the mid-1980s.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Service Director Duane Limpert. “People have really been looking at getting this done for some time.”

City officials made several unsuccessful attempts to obtain funds from various sources for repair and construction work on the roadway. However, this year the city was successful in obtaining assistance from Cuyahoga County and the state of Ohio.

“We made it clear that this was a priority project for us and has been for some time,” said Mayor Thomas O’Grady. “It’s something that we’ve had a major need to get done for some time.”

Limpert said the contractors Burton Scot, from Novelty, Ohio, have said work will get started by June 22 if not sooner.

“They’re an experienced firm which has done a lot of good work,” Limpert said. “They expect to be able to get the work done in the 90-day  time period which has been set up.”

Limpert said the workers will be taking the top off the current roadway as part of the project.

“After they do that, they’ll know a little better how they plan to proceed,” he said.

Limpert said the resurfacing will extend from Butternut Ridge Road down to the North Olmsted – City of Westlake border. There will be some curbing and other related work,

“There’s no question it will tie up traffic at times and cause some delays because the work is going to be pretty extensive,” he said. “The project managers have planned for some traffic control and detours.”

North Olmsted Police Chief Wayne Wozniak said his department is aware the work is getting underway shortly and added he will be monitoring the area to see if it needs additional police assistance.

“I’ll be taking some drives through the area to check it and other officers will also check it,” he said.

Ward 1 City Councilman Lou Brossard, whose ward includes the area, said residents and motorists in the area should be pleased with the end result.

“It’s something that will make the area significantly better,” said Brossard. “We also appreciate that about 75 percent of the bill is being paid for by other agencies. That makes it easier for our budget as well.”

Brossard, who took office when Dan Ryan resigned earlier this year, said the need for work on the roadway is one of the items he’s heard about from residents in the ward.

“There’s been a lot of discussion,” he said. “People will be glad to see it.”

In the Dover Road project, Bay officials also are setting up for work at their end.

“It will be a definite help to the area,” said Mayor Debbie Sutherland. The contractor on the $663,301 project is Karvo Paving with the city and Cuyahoga County paying for it.

After it begins, the resurfacing work is scheduled to go from the Bay-Westlake border to Lake Road. The construction will be completed in two sections. The first will begin at the Norfolk Southern Railroad north right of way and go to just north of West Oviatt road. Phase two goes from just north of West Oviatt to Lake Road.

Project officials have scheduled the completion of the project for August. Detours and signs will be posted to help motorists get through the construction areas.

“They’re going to make it as efficient as possible,” said Sutherland. “When it ends the roadway will be a lot better for traveling.”