Wednesday, June 09, 1999
Road ahead of schedule
Weather helps regional highway
BY MICHAEL D. CLARK
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FAIRFIELD — Construction of the Butler County Highway is ahead of schedule.
Officials from the Butler County Transportation Improvement District (TID) met Tuesday and said the new highway, connecting Interstate 75 to Hamilton, may be partially opened by late August or early September.
The 11-mile highway project is about 70 percent complete and eight months ahead of schedule, TID spokeswoman Monica Menke-Watts said.
The first portion would connectI-75 and Cincinnati-Dayton Road, TID officials said.
It will be only the second toll highway in Ohio and the first in the southern half of the state.
“The weather has been good, and it's going well,” Ms. Menke-Watts said.
The $92.7 million, four-lane highway will connect Ohio 4 in Hamilton and I-75 in Union Township. I
A sliding scale of toll charges will be used depending on how far a motorist travels. Drivers of trucks will pay more.
TID officials are still studying tolls, Ms. Menke-Watts said.
The TID was started cooperatively between local governments and private money to cut through red tape, build roads and secure bonds for the highway.
It also built and opened the $24 million interchange with I-75 at Union Centre Boulevard in 1997.
In other action, TID offi cials:
• Passed a proclamation as part of the application process to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) as they seek to name the new highway after Fairfield resident Michael A. Fox, Butler County commissioner and former state legislator.
Mr. Fox, a longtime advocate for a highway connector between Hamilton and I-75, was instrumental in creation of the TID.
ODOT officials are reviewing the name request.
• Approved road-widening projects along Union Centre Boulevard, the building of a small bridge on West Chester Road between Beckett and Union Center, and the installment of a traffic light at the busy Union Centre-Beckett Road intersection. The light will be installed in September.
Heat may be near record
Carding moviegoers gets mixed reviews
City developers come under fire
Cost estimate for Sabin expansion rises
Firm leaders admit guilt in fall
Thanks, but police courtesy can come cheap
St. X grad swapped science for stocks
City, health outfit may share community center
Cleaner street worth a pickle
First test passed
FOP seeks Cooper investigation
Graduation to be under close watch
Industrial technology in curriculum
Living in Eden
Mass to resume after cleanup
Summer music series plays Thursday nights
Activist Nate Livingston arrested
Enterprise zone sought
'Gentlemen' of dysfunction
5 Latin students perfect on exam
Lo Fidelity Allstars give a nod to Bootsy
Monroe pins hopes on land sale
Police chief in Glendale resigns post
Police chief quits Clearcreek Twp.
Rabbi ordered to pay $1M
Road ahead of schedule
Yard-wasters invade Harrison
GET TO IT
TRISTATE DIGEST
