Tuesday, April 13, 1999
Mason roads getting overhaul
Officials say projects will ease traffic
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — Road crews won't be found only along Interstate 71 this spring. They'll be scattered along this city's major roadways, too.
But road construction in Mason is not expected to cause too significant delays. Instead, most projects will improve flow with minimum disruption to daily traffic, city administrators say.
“These projects will cause some minor inconvenience to some of our residents by forcing them to alter their travel habits a bit,” Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer said. “Some folks may have to leave home a few minutes earlier or take an alternative route to get to their destinations.
“But truthfully, many of the roads we will be working on are already an inconvenience to residents because of their condition.”
Mr. Lahrmer said city officials are doing their best to alleviate fears about traffic jams. The city, Warren County's largest, has even gone so far as to publish a community newsletter called Detour Times that highlights construction projects.
“We try to let residents know about road projects in advance rather than let them stumble upon them,” Mr. Lahrmer said.
Rather than painting a chaotic picture of bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mr. Lahrmer said residents should focus on the end result.
“Traffic flow in Mason will be significantly improved by these projects,” he said.
City engineers are hoping to reduce bottlenecks on a portion of Mason-Montgomery Road near the I&O Bridge by widening it to three lanes. The $2.2 million project also involves replacing the railroad overpass bridge and lowering the road to provide more height under the bridge.
Starting this week, the portion of Mason-Montgomery Road will be closed for six months during the construction. Mr. Lahrmer said detour signs will be posted from Mason-Montgomery Road to east U.S. 42 (Main Street) to west Bethany Road to north Mason-Montgomery Road.
In another project, officials are spending $600,000 to extend Snider Road north to Mason Road. Officials say the extension will facilitate traffic flow north and south for residents living in the west end of Mason.
Other summer road project include:
• A widening already under way on Ohio 741 between Interstate 71 and Parkside Drive. It is to help alleviate the heavily congested area near Paramount's Kings Island. The project, which should wrap up this spring, will double the road to four lanes.
• The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is funding a bridge widening project on U.S. 42 just north of Tylersville Road. Work is to begin in May. The project will add lanes to the two-lane road.
• Work to upgrade the intersection of Columbia and Western Row roads near Paramount's Kings Island is to finish in June. The $885,000 project will add two left-turn lanes from Columbia Road onto Western Row Road and a traffic light to replace the intersection's four-way stop sign. The project also will widen Western Row as it crosses Kings Island Drive and the Interstate 71 ramps.
• Mason will embark on one of its largest street resurfacing and maintenance programs. The city has invested $750,000 to repave more than 20 streets and two alleys. The program is to begin this summer.
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