Butler-Warren Road Improvements Project
Major
improvements to Butler Warren Road are scheduled to get under way beginning
February 27, 2012. Construction on the first phase will require closing the
road between Tylersville Road and Liberty Way / Mason Road for a period of
about four months. Complete project phasing and road closing information are
detailed below.The Project
The full project involves widening 2.2 miles of Butler Warren from two to five lanes between Tylersville Road and Bethany Road, thereby creating two northbound and southbound lanes plus a center turn lane. Plans also call for adding curb and gutter and building a shared use path along the west side of the road from Tylersville to Sweet Briar Drive. A sidewalk will also be added on the east side from Mason Road to Hampton Cove Court.
The new design addresses capacity issues inherent with the growth in the area, allowing for smoother, more efficient traffic flow. It will also facilitate safer pedestrian and bike travel, especially with the adjacent VOA MetroPark and large number of nearby subdivisions.
A construction contract was awarded last year to the John R. Jurgenson Company of Cincinnati which submitted a low bid of $9,971,021. Federal LPA and State OPWC grant money along with local matching funds from Butler and Warren Counties will be utilized to pay for the project.
The majority of the work is scheduled for completion by late 2012, weather permitting; however, final paving, construction of the multi-use path, and general cleanup are slated for spring 2013. Any work-related road closures are expected to occur this year only.
Background and History
Since Butler Warren Road straddles the county line, the Engineer's Offices from both Warren and Butler Counties have been working together for many years to address the unique requirements specific to this project. Officials from West Chester, Liberty, and Deerfield Townships and the City of Mason have also had some involvement as well as the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). This is a major upgrade that has taken many years to prepare due to the number of different jurisdictions involved, complicated right-of-way clearances, and a complex system of utility relocations necessary before construction could even begin.
A public input meeting was held in June 2008 to present preliminary engineering and environmental plans in order to solicit feedback from local residents and motorists. Final plans were then developed and construction was to begin in 2011, but utility relocations were delayed when utility companies had to send local crews to help rebuild tornado-ravaged areas in Alabama and Missouri. As utility relocations finally resumed last fall, the Butler and Warren County Engineers agreed that it would be best to postpone starting the project until the following construction season to avoid unnecessary prolonged road closures and down time related to winter weather.
Project Phasing, Road Closures, and Maintenance of Traffic
The Butler Warren Road improvement will be accomplished in four phases. Only the first phase will involve an extended road closure. After that, the remainder of the work will be performed under traffic with only a few short closures anticipated during Phase 3.
Project phasing and closure information is as follows. All dates are approximate and may be adjusted as construction develops:
PHASE 1 -- Starting February 27, 2012, Butler Warren Road will be closed and rebuilt from 450 feet north of Tylersville Road to just south of Liberty Way / Mason Road. During this closure, businesses at the corner of Tylersville and Butler Warren will maintain access from Tylersville Road; however, residential access on Butler Warren within the closure area will be maintained from the north (Liberty Way / Mason Road) end only. Phase 1 completion is tentatively scheduled for early summer 2012 at which time the road will reopen.
Detour for PHASE 1: Northbound Butler Warren Road traffic will detour west on Tylersville Road, north on Cox Road, and east on Liberty Way. Southbound traffic will reverse this route.
PHASE 2 -- Start early summer 2012. This phase involves reconstruction of the intersection at Butler Warren Road and Liberty Way / Mason Road. No closures anticipated. All work to be performed while thru traffic is maintained. Phase 2 completion tentatively scheduled for mid-summer 2012.
PHASE 3 -- Start mid-summer 2012. Involves rebuilding the section of Butler Warren Road from Liberty Way / Mason Road north to Bethany Road. The intersection at Bethany Road will also be completely reconstructed during this phase. Potential for several short 2-3 day closures to replace small bridge structures. Separate and specific news releases with detour information will be issued for any closures before they occur. This phase is the most complicated portion of the overall project with expected completion in November 2012.
PHASE 4 -- Final phase to be completed in spring 2013. This phase includes construction of the new multi-use hike-bike path on the west side of the road, final paving and lane striping throughout the entire project length, and placement of reflective pavement markings. No road closures are anticipated for this phase although final paving may require temporary lane closures.
Emergency personnel, school bus transportation officials, the post office, and the media have been notified of this upcoming construction project. The information is also posted on our web site at www.wceo.us/pages/Road-Restrictions.html. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.
Who to Contact
While the WCEO makes every effort to keep residents and businesses in a project area informed, we strongly encourage you to check the Road Restrictions page on our web site as the best source for possible date and status changes concerning this project.
Contact Us
Project Manager
Vickie Trimbach, PE
Assistant County Engineer
105 Markey Road
Lebanon, OH 45036
(513) 695-3308
Public Relations Coordinator
Savannah Shafer
105 Markey Road
Lebanon, OH 45036
(513) 695-3301
