Construction season already causing road bumps in and around Brecksville

by Melissa Martin

May 20 city council meeting

The city’s administration updated residents on the summer construction season, which is officially underway in Brecksville as well as Northeast Ohio.

“As residents know, our region has a very limited window of favorable weather to complete important infrastructure improvements, utility work and roadway projects,” Mayor Daryl Kingston said. “While every effort is made to maintain schedules, all construction activity remains weather dependent. With extended periods of rain already impacting the region, timelines may shift as crews work to safely complete projects as conditions allow. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this busy season and encourage residents to allow extra travel time, remain alert in work zones, and use caution around crews and changing traffic patterns.”

Kingston and City Engineer Gerry Wise said crews for Enbridge Gas Ohio are focused on replacing individual residential service connections along Chippewa Road, Wiese Road, Riverview Road, Calvin Drive and Glen Valley Drive. Main line replacement work has been completed in all areas except Glen Valley Drive, where work remains in progress, Kingston said.

“This phase of the project moves at a slower pace because it requires coordination with each property owner to transition homes to the new service connections,” he said. “At this time, Enbridge remains on its original schedule and anticipates completing the project by the end of June.”

Additionally, Kingston noted the Cleveland Division of Water has begun a 10-year program to replace all lead service connections throughout its system.

“Fortunately, Brecksville is a relatively newer community and has a limited number of lead service connections compared to many older areas,” he said, noting that CDW estimates there are approximately 350 lead connections within the city, most of which are located along some of our older original streets that had water service installed prior to the 1950s.

Kingston said the city has requested that CDW complete the lead service replacements along Brecksville Road prior to the upcoming resurfacing project. This is why residents have recently seen CDW crews working in the center of town.

The current plan includes work along Brecksville Road as well as portions of Brecksville’s Old Town. Additional replacement work is tentatively scheduled to begin as early as August with some of the following streets scheduled for investigation and replacement: Fitzwater, Greenhaven, Oakhurst, Wallings, Farview, Hilton, Riverview, Oakes, Highland, Crestview and Glen Valley. Any house that has a suspected lead connection will receive a mail notification from CDW with instructions of how to self-report the waterline that enters into the house. If that connection is galvanized steel or lead, CDW will replace it at no cost to the resident.

At this time, Kingston said, the city has not been informed of additional future projects within Brecksville other than CDW’s overall goal of completing lead service replacement throughout its entire system over the next 10 years. Residents who are suspected of having a lead service connection will be contacted directly by the CDW with additional information.

Additionally, AT&T has received approval from the city to begin installation of high-speed internet service within the Hunting Valley, Hillbrook Oval and Settlers Passage neighborhoods. Aside from construction equipment being temporarily parked along city roads, these projects generally do not require road closures. The work primarily involves installation of conduit through directional drilling along with placement of utility pedestals near property lines. AT&T and its contractors are responsible for restoring all disturbed areas upon completion of the work. Residents in affected areas have been receiving notifications through mailed letters and door tags.

Once installation is complete and the lines are energized, residents within these neighborhoods will have access to the new high-speed internet service. Following completion of the current projects, AT&T has expressed interest in expanding service into additional neighborhoods with the long-term goal of serving the majority of the city, Kingston said.

Though the Wallings Road Bridge may be located in Broadview Heights, the revised traffic pattern the Ohio Department of Transportation implemented in early May along Wallings Road and Mill Road as part of the ongoing Interstate 77 Interchange project continues to impact Brecksville motorists.

Wise said both roadways have been reduced to one-directional traffic to accommodate construction activities in the area. Wallings Road in Broadview Heights is currently restricted to westbound traffic only with access to Interstate 77 northbound. Mill Road in Broadview Heights is restricted to northbound traffic only with access to Interstate 77 northbound. This traffic pattern will remain in place through Aug. 14, when ODOT anticipates reopening the bridge. Motorists are reminded that once entering these restricted sections of roadway, the only available exit is onto Interstate 77 northbound, and there is no option to turn around.

As for the ongoing Brecksville Road resurfacing project, Ronyak Paving has remobilized to complete remaining work on the section paved last year between Winding Way and Sprague Road. In addition, the city has approved the next phase of the project, which will extend from State Route 82 to Winding Way, with work anticipated to begin on or around July 1 and conclude by Aug. 31. As with the previous phase, one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction throughout construction.

“The city has also approved nighttime operations for major activities, including milling, partial and full depth repairs and paving,” Kingston said. “This approach was selected to help reduce daytime traffic impacts, particularly near the busy state Route 21 and state Route 82 intersection.

Later this fall, the city will be replacing Riverview Culvert C-14. The culvert is located between state Route 82 and Snowville Road, just south of the National Park Service maintenance garage. At this time, the project remains in the design phase and a specific construction start date has not yet been determined. However, the project is expected to require a full road closure for approximately two months.

“We recognize that this is an especially active construction season not only within Brecksville, but also throughout surrounding communities, with several regional projects that may impact travel into, out of, and through our city,” Kingston said. “We appreciate the continued patience and understanding of our residents as these necessary infrastructure improvements move forward across the area. We encourage residents to remain alert while driving, follow all posted signage, reduce speeds in and near work zones, and plan ahead by allowing extra travel time when traveling through affected corridors.”

In other news, council approved the $50,000 rehabilitation of the city’s tennis courts located outside of Brecksville City Hall. In addition to receiving a new asphalt top coat, the courts will receive new nets.

The work is expected to be done after the completion of the tennis camps this summer; however, the courts will have to cure for 30 days before the new lines will be painted on them.

“Residents can still use them if they want, but the lines just won’t be on them until it’s time,” Kingston said.