Despite the bitter cold weather yesterday morning, city and university officials found unfrozen ground to break to start construction for the new Lane Avenue bridge over the Olentangy River.
According to Dean Ringle, Franklin County engineer, the existing three-lane earth-filled concrete arch bridge will be replaced with a new six-lane cable bridge. The new bridge will have 12-foot sidewalks on both sides. The center tower pier will rise 119 feet above the bridge deck.
“The final design of the bridge was the product of extensive public involvement through meetings and workshops with local community associations, environmental groups, the Ohio State University and other agencies,” Ringle said.
The $15.6 million project, scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2004, is funded from a number of different sources. The project received $5 million from the federal government and $5 million from the Ohio Public Works Commission. The remaining $5.6 million is being paid for through local funds from Franklin County, the City of Columbus and Columbus Recreation and Parks.
Ringle said both age and need factored into the decision to build a new, larger bridge.
“The existing bridge was built in 1918 and is reaching the end of its life. It’s in poor condition. Also, the current flow of traffic on Lane Avenue dictates the need for a wider bridge.
“Work is beginning immediately on the construction of a temporary causeway and a temporary pedestrian bridge,” Ringle said. “Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will still be permitted on the existing bridge while this is going on.”
Eventually, when the construction reaches a point to where the bridge will be closed to traffic, OSU traffic will be rerouted to either Woodruff Avenue, King Avenue, John H. Herrick Drive or Dodridge Road. However, Ringle said pedestrians will have access across the Olentangy River throughout all phases of the project.
The old concrete bridge will be demolished this fall, immediately following the final home football game against Michigan in November.
“We’re probably going to use a wrecking ball to demolish the bridge,” Ringle said. “Since the bridge is an earth-filled structure, it should come down pretty easy.”
Jones-Stuckey, Ltd., Inc., of Columbus designed the bridge and the contractor for the project is the C.J. Mahan Construction Company of Grove City.
Ringle said another upcoming construction event that will occur around campus is an improvement of Woodruff Avenue and its bridge across the Olentangy River.
