Lorain/Elyria, OH
Three-phase project planned to fix Route 57
Print this story
Read comments and discuss this story
ELYRIA — The much-anticipated state Route 57 reconstruction project will be broken up into three phases over the course of about 18 months, city officials said. At a cost of $20 million, with the city funding a portion with a 10-year, $2.7 million loan from the state infrastructure fund, the project is slated to start in June.
 |
That’s about two months after city officials expect to award the contract, and many years after the idea to redo the thoroughfare was first introduced.
However, now that the project is approaching reality, motorists eager to see work begin should know that it isn’t going to be easy going.
There will be significant traffic disruptions for months to come, City Engineer Mukund Moghe said. The contractor — still to be determined — has to maintain one lane of traffic in each direction at all times, but that’s going to be a pretty busy lane given all the traffic that travels along the road daily, he said.
The first phase will start at Chestnut Ridge Road and go to Cleveland Street. The second phase picks up at Cleveland Street and goes to Gulf Road. The third phase finishes the road from Gulf Road to the end of the project at Lorain Boulevard.
Moghe said the project was broken into phases to cut travel disruptions.
He said the contractor can come up with his or her own phasing to complete the project in time, but it will be subject to approval from the city and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Once completed, the 5.3-mile project will include new lights, traffic signals, concrete medians and longer turn lanes.
“It will be a lot of work in a short period of time, but something the road definitely needs,” Mayor Bill Grace said.
All work has to be completed and accepted by the city’s Engineering Department by Oct. 31, 2009, or the contractor will be assessed a $2,000-a-day fine.
That stipulation is meant to ensure the project, which took five years to go through the local, state and federal approval maze, will not drag.
Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.
Print this story
Report an innappropriate comment
In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement
and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered,
click here.
If you are registered, click here to log in.
Need help? Email Us.
This project is already starting to smell bad , why in the world would they start at chestnut ridge and move north, the northern part of the road is in the worst shape and needs to be fixed first, other wise it will have to wait almost a year longer to get any attention and this is just insane, a gravel road would be better to drive on , i dont see any rough road signs on the southern end of the project , but i guess i shouldnt expect anything different from billl grace , i guess the taxes from the chestnut commons area is more important that the rest of the city
(Report comment)
This is absolutely insane. I haven’t been down toward Chestnut Ridge Rd. lately but I can almost guarentee you that it’s not near as bad as the stretch between W. River Rd. and Abbe Rd. Why on earth would you start at the other end first? I can’t even take Rt. 57 anymore because of the hazard and the possibility of what damage could be done to my car. This is already an inconvenience to me as I live right off of Rt. 57. I’m thorougly disgusted with this project already. You might want to rethink your plans and start north and move south instead.
(Report comment)
I want to know why Chestnut Ridge deserves more attention than the north end.? I work for a tire company and see more people coming in with damage to their wheels and tires from this end. I think who ever thought of the idea to start at Chestnut Ridge needs to rethink it. OR that person does not drive that end of 57.
(Report comment)
Starting the project at Chestnut Ridge makes plenty of sense. That’s where the last project ended. Start where you left off - makes the most sense. Just because you don’t live here or travel here, doesn’t mean the project isn’t just as important as the area that’s local to you. The entire road is a mess, and they need to start somewhere. So, be patient and get over it!
(Report comment)
I agree it’s been way to long for this to get done from my understanding it was considered about 2 years ago but it was a no go ,it needs done all I know is they need to get it done asap cause if i have car damages done then they will pay for it cause I’ll sue thats why we all pay taxes or at least thats what I thought or is it true that our taxes go in there pockets hmmm. I live on 57 so i have to use it so they need to get things moving !!!
(Report comment)
Hey, let’s be thankful it will be getting the attention. And be thankful you have a car. One out of every one hundred people in the world own a car. (1.08/100) Be happy you’re not walking. God has blessed this nation ABUNDANTLY and all we ever hear anymore is complaint after complaint. Count your blessings, you might just be done counting when you notice the project finished!
(Report comment)
This plan is stupid all around. The whole (or hole) problem is the stop and go truck traffic. This is what tears up the road as well as creates those lovely ruts that are oh-so good at holding water.
They should lower the entire length of 57 from Rt 10 to the 57/113 split to be a limited access highway. There is plenty of room to do this thru that entire length by pushing the lanes closer together.
This was done in Columbus to a frequently traveled state route with much success.
Repairing the present design of 57 is just a bandaid rather than a fix, a repair that will be needed again in the near future….
(Report comment)
adopting the “let’s be thankful” philosophy will not improve the roads. complaining has/will motivate the city and state to take action. remember, their jobs depend on them keeping us happy.
(Report comment)
To late, my car fell in the hole at E. Broad and St. Rt. 57.
(Report comment)
To D.M.Ezell,
I thank God for my blessings everyday.I also pray to him everytime I drive down Rt 57 that I don’t blow out a tire and cause an accident that kills myself or anyone else on the road!
(Report comment)
complaint after complaint after complaint after complaint after complaint after complaint after complaint. i wish i had a job i could travel to each day and drive any road to get there. i enjoyed my work for 40 years and have been down many rough roads through the years. now that i am medicaly unable to work and on a SMALL fixed income, i ask you, how many of you have taken the time to help solve instead of complain? you will find out that life doesn’t always allow you to have everything you would like. Learn to live what life you have each day and get over the bumps and holes that life deals out. the roads will be fixed in time. next year it will be the same thing all over again. that is ohio and always will be.
(Report comment)
Another comment from a incompentent moron, Sleeves you just dont get it , our taxes pay for quality roads , more than 50 cents a gallon of gas prices is taxes to fix the roads , $20 was added to every license plate purchased is supposed to go to fix the roads, and untill you have driven on 57 between 113 and cleveland street in the south bound lanes i think you should keep your comments to your self , or better yet , stay in your lil hick town of grafton. Now in todays paper we see why Billy Grace wants to start the project on the southern end of town, so he can make the pitch to widen east broad street , another waste of taxpayers money. It wont be long till Elyria is a drug/crime ridden slum like Lorain .
(Report comment)
Too late it’s already happened in Elyria.
And I don’t think Mr. Sleeves is from Grafton (I would rather live in the sticks anyhow)
I think he is from Sheffield, Sheffield lake or out that way somewhere.
(Report comment)
Haxor,
Have you looked in a mirror lately. I just out that way today and the road is not as bad as you say it is. True it is not a speedway like most of you want, but there are other roads in the county just like 57 and no one complains about them. Most people know that the state and county and cities will do what they can when they can. I will not stoop as low as you to call people names. For those that want to know, I live in Avon lake and travel to grafton and then to lorain and back to grafton and back home again once a week using route 57 and 83. Have a nice Easter all.
(Report comment)
Sleeves,
If the road is not as bad as we say it is, then explain to me why they have placed little (very, very little) orange signs that say “25 mph” on the southbound side of 57 between W River and Gulf road? Obviously SOMEONE ELSE thinks this road is becoming unsafe. Yes, there are other roads with similar problems as 57 and I’m sure that someone is complaining about them, they just haven’t decided to do so in this forum.
(Report comment)
I had to go to south lorain and traveled 57 from chestnut, what are those out there, speed bumps????? Looks like a war zone between the buckles in the road and the pot holes.
geee, I wonder if the new walmart has anything to do with why they are starting at chestnut, hhmmmmm…..
and they wonder why midway is doing so bad
(Report comment)
Hello ,I have read all of your complaints and for those who say rt 57 is not in bad shape must be a dupa hole cause even the most expensive car with the state of the art suspension would have to say Rt 57 sucks and is like a war zone come on like the one gentleman says we pay to keep the roads safe and they are sitting doing nothing cause if they do they cant put our money in their pockets for the corrupt goverment end of the deal .I think we should boycott rt 57 .And for those who dont give up there taxes should shut the ,well you get wat I’m sayin
(Report comment)