A portion of US 224, which takes as many as 12,000 motorists a day from Springfield Township in Summit County to Atwater in Portage County, soon will receive major pavement repairs.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is seeking public comments on a $14.7 million street reconstruction on U.S. Route 224, between State Route 532 at the Summit/Portage County line to the U.S. Route 224/State Route 183/Waterloo Road intersection in Atwater.
ODOT said the project would improve road and structure conditions along 13.5 miles of the roadway, including full depth pavement reconstruction and minor repairs to several bridges.
Justin Chesnic of ODOT’s District 4 office said the work will go beyond milling and resurfacing the asphalt pavement on the road. Contractors, he said, will dig about 5 inches into the concrete base and also repair the joints under the road.
“It’s a lot more of an extensive repair,” he said.
In addition to full depth pavement reconstruction throughout most of the project limits, the project also includes minor repairs to several bridges. Construction is expected to start in the spring or summer of 2028 and be completed that year.
The estimated construction cost is $14,762,000.
Traffic impacts
During construction, traffic on the affected part of U.S. 224 will be detoured around the entire construction area, using State Route 14 and Interstates 76 and 77. The project will be split into three separate construction phases so local and emergency service access can be maintained.
Brian Peck of ODOT noted that local residents, including those who live in the Carriage Way development between May and Conley roads, will have access to their homes at all times.
One segment would address the area between State Route 532 and State Route 43; a second segment would address the area between State Routes 43 and 44. Those areas would be done under a full closure, with access only to local properties.
However, at the third section, between State Route 44 and the U.S. Route 224/State Route 183/Waterloo Road intersection, work will be done using flaggers or signalized closures so one lane of traffic can be maintained during construction.
Trucks will be directed to Interstate 76 or Interstate 77. However, there will be signs so local vehicles can find north-south local access detours. Warning signs, detour route indicators and “Local Access Only” signs will be placed at strategic locations before any closure.
Access also will be maintained for agricultural equipment, and utility and emergency services throughout the construction.
Although the work is expected to be done within the 2028 construction season, exact dates have not yet been determined.
How to provide comments
ODOT is asking those who have public comments to contact Brian Peck, environmental specialist at Ohio Department of Transportation District 4, at 330-786-4931 or Brian.Peck@dot.ohio.gov.
For more information, visit ODOT’s project website.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: ODOT planning major project on US 224 in Atwater
Reporting by Diane Smith, Ravenna Record-Courier / Record-Courier
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