ASHLAND — Construction on the old Claremont Avenue bridge in Downtown Ashland started earlier this week, starting a four-month long closure of the busy street.
Work on the bridge, which runs over Town Run, will close access to the Claremont Avenue and Main Street intersection for at least 120 days. Detour signs have been posted on Washington and Center streets.
But that detour is set to change, said Shane Kremser, the city’s engineer. Washington Street, he said, is too narrow.
“So we’re going to move it to Walnut Street,” he said.
The so-called Claremont Avenue Bridge, estimated to be more than 100 years-old, sits next to the Ashland municipal building, which can now only be accessed from Broad Street.
City officials in November said project will cost $1.3 million, though the cost to the city is expected to be much lower because of two state grants, one from the Ohio Public Works Commission and the other from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The true cost will be around $707,000.
The project represents one of three slated for Claremont Avenue, with the repaving of a section from Baney to Smith roads. That $2 million project is expected to begin in the coming months.
The road, on its northern end, will get a roundabout this year. Construction on the $1.74 million roundabout is also planned to begin soon at the intersection of Cottage Street, U.S. Route 250 and Faultless Drive.
