Bluffton council’s street improvement program focuses on East Jefferson Street in 2019.

The driving force of the focus is because Ohio Department of Transportation will replace the Jefferson Street bridge next year.

Two village improvements are set for the street from Main Street to the County Line Road, as explained by Jesse Blackburn, village administrator, during the Sept. 10 Bluffton council meeting.  

He said that agreements for engineering were received from Choice One Engineering. Those agreements create plans for two phases.

Phase 1 – Project to extend from Main to Huber includes full depth road reconstruction, replacement of 4-inch waster main, elimination of creek crossing, replacement of sidewalks, curb and storm sewer.

Preliminary construction cost projection: $850,000.
Engineering fees: $61,765.

Phase 2 – Water main replacement project replaces existing water main with an 8-inch PVC line from Huber to County Line Road. All services and meters will be replaced on the project route. No full width reresurfacing is scheduled with this project. Trench repair will be completed.

Estimated preliminary construction cost: $243,549.
Engineering fee: $17,215.

Blackburn told council that the $78,980 combined engineering costs are within the current year budget.

Bridge replacement
ODOT will replace the Jefferson Street bridge in 2019. The Icon is not aware of a start or completion date at this time.

ODOT reviewed a village request for an additional sidewalk and has agreed to fund a six-foot sidewalk on both sides of the bridge, in addition to an aesthetic improvement that the village would fund.

The current bridge lacks a sidewalk on either side. This is an ODOT project because Jefferson Street is also State Route 103. The bridge will have what is termed “Texas classic bridge design.”

That improvement includes a graphic or design such as the Village of Bluffton logo on the approach walls or on the abutment of the bridge. The village hopes to obtain a quote for that portion of the project.