LIBERTY TWP. — Steel cable barriers scheduled to go along Interstate 75 this summer aren't likely to be installed until next spring, Ohio Department of Transportation officials say.

        The $1 million project's contractor, Security Fence of Cincinnati, has never constructed that type of barrier before. The company told ODOT it needs more time to do the job right, said Jay Hamilton, traffic planning engineer for ODOT's District 8, which covers the seven Southwest Ohio counties.

        The work had been planned to start this summer and be completed by the end of the year. Now March 31 is the finish date.

        “We'd rather have the system put in correctly than have them rush and possibly have the system fail and not do the job,” Mr. Hamilton said.

        The barriers will feature three steel cables attached to posts and will run 14 miles, from Ohio 129 in Liberty Township to Ohio 73 in Franklin, Mr. Hamilton said.

        That stretch of the highway became notorious after 13 people died in 10 crashes between November 2000 and January 2002. Most of the crashes involved cars crossing the median into opposing traffic.

        After a fiery crash that killed a Michigan man in January, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers completed an enforcement blitz and officials examined several options to make the highway safer, including the cable barriers.

        They are rare; the only place in the country Mr. Hamilton could name that uses the exact same kind is Oklahoma City, Okla.

        A somewhat similar — but not identical — system is in Lake County on Ohio 2 near Cleveland, he said.

        The steel cable barriers resemble rope that will catch vehicles like a net, Mr. Hamilton said.Traffic engineers say they think the barriers will work so well, they have scrapped preliminary plans to install other improvements along the highway. “If the cars run off and hit the cable, they will most likely run alongside that cable as opposed to bouncing off our standard guard rail or concrete barrier,” he said. “It's more of a catching-type system. This type of barrier is better, too, because they are easier to maintain and repair and install.”

        The steel cable barriers also were selected because they won't damage cars as badly as a concrete barrier or guardrail would do, he said.

        ODOT is hoping the delay may not be as long as anticipated. There still is a chance the work could be finished by the end of the year, depending on installation, Mr. Hamilton said.

        “If they get in here and find out it's an easier installation than they thought they could be done quicker,” he said. “Just because the installation date is the end of March it doesn't mean it will take them that long.”

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