Published: Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Groundbreaking kicks off renovation project
By ANDREW GAUG
YOUNGSTOWN — A familiar downtown landmark is about to get a major face-lift.
A groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday kicked off renovation of the Spring Common Bridge.
"It's great to see that the state of Ohio is coming up with the funds to help," said Ken Carano, Mahoning Valley regional representative for Gov. Ted Strickland, at the ceremony at Anthony's On the River, 15 Oak Hill Ave.
The construction work is to begin soon and take 16 months.
Also speaking were Mayor Jay Williams and John Getchey, executive director of the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments. Mahoning County Engineer Richard Marsico was master of ceremonies.
The main subject in each of the speeches centered on how proud each official was that everything came together smoothly.
Carano noted the quick pace of setting up the project. Usually, he said, projects such as this take 10 to 12 years to get going, but this has taken only four years.
"The level of cooperation has been very encouraging," Williams added.
Improving downtown visually
Since the bridge is a gateway to downtown Youngstown, Williams said, it serves as a reflection of the state's investment in the city.
All the construction that has been done to the downtown area has caused a great improvement visually, Getchey said.
"The change of downtown landscape is incredible," he said.
Williams and Getchey were quick to point out that a piece of scrap steel welded to the bridge's arch cross-frame in the shape of snack character Mr. Peanut will still be present once the bridge is finished.
The bridge project came after Arcadis FPS, a consulting engineering firm with an office in Akron, conducted safety inspections on the span in 2003. After considering options, it was decided major rehabilitation, instead of replacement, was needed.
The bridge, originally built in 1949, last received rehabilitation work in 1986. The project then cost $800,000 and included minor structural and sidewalk repair and painting of all structural steel.
The project
The current project will cost $5.1 million with $4.7 million coming from federal dollars and about $424,000 coming from the county engineer's share of gasoline taxes and license plate fees.
Marsico said the six-lane bridge will be reduced to two lanes as construction goes on. The bridge will be closed for two weeks — one week in December and another in July 2008 — as concrete is poured and cured on each side.
The scope of work includes total deck replacement, steel repair, substructure patching and sealing, new pedestrian railing and painting of all structural steel.
Once the bridge is finished, a dedication ceremony will take place later in 2008. The span will be renamed the Firefighters Memorial Bridge in honor of the city's firefighters.
Carano closed his speech by stressing what the bridge rehab means to Youngstown.
"If we're going to revitalize this city, these projects are so doggone important," he said.
agaug@vindy.com
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