1. Clinton Street Bridge over the Maumee River
ODOT Project DEF
September 13, 2016
Public Meeting
My name is Jenn Gasser and I am an engineer with the Ohio Department of Transportation. I would like to on behalf of our consultant, Burgess and Niple and ODOT, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this presentation. We are hoping to hear all your opinions and answer any questions you may have about the project. We would like to get thru the presentation first and then we’ll answer any questions and get your input on the options we will be presenting.

2. Purpose of Public Meeting
Review project and developments since the last public meeting in May 2015
Discuss how traffic should be maintained during construction
Identify concerns and get public comments
Main purpose of meeting is to discuss whether to maintain traffic on the bridge or close the bridge completely during construction, but for those not familiar with the project I will give a quick overview of project and decisions since last meeting.

3. Project Purpose Replace the deteriorated bridge
Improve pedestrian access and bicycle accommodations
Essentially ODOT’s goal is to maintain the bridge in good condition. During our annual inspections we noticed some deterioration of the bridge deck. The bridge is safe but in need of repairs. The bridge deck is made of pre-stressed concrete box beams. Once they begin to deteriorate there is no good way of repairing them, so the decision was made to replace the bridge deck. The piers in the water were installed back in ODOT and our consultant completed an evaluation of the existing piers and determined replacing them was the best decision.
When we replace the bridge we will ensure that the sidewalks are ADA compliant and will also improve bicycle accommodations as part of a bigger plan the City and County have.

4. Deteriorated condition of existing bridge
Just to give you a visual of what the deterioration looks like. This photo is of the bottom of the bridge deck (road way surface) right along the edge of the sidewalk. Looking at this photo you can see that the concrete in the box beam has some cracking.

5. Improve Pedestrian Access
Fort Street on the east side of Clinton Street. Project will replace areas like this with easy to use ADA compliant transitions allowing wheelchair access. The existing sidewalks on the bridge are 5’ now. The new bridge will have 8’ and 10’ sidewalks.

6. Improve Bicycle Accommodations
Bicycles will be considered in the design and 5’ bike lanes will be placed on the new bridge.

7. Connectivity with Local Bike Plans
The bike lanes will tie into a planned project that just received Transportation Alternatives Program funding from ODOT. The county is planning on widening the shoulders on County Road 424 from Independence Dam State Park to the bridge to allow room for pedestrians and bicycles to share the roadway with traffic. The widened shoulders will tie into the bike lanes on the bridge and also to a new shared use path that will run under the bridge on the north side of the Maumee River.

8. Proposed Clinton Street Bridge Section
Bridge cross section view
This is what a cross sectional view of the bridge will look like. Two lanes in each direction like the existing bridge, 2 5’ bike lanes, and wider sidewalks on either side of the road. The required sidewalk width is 8’ according to our standards, but we have widened it to 10’ on the west side of the bridge to allow ODOT to clear the brush and trees that float downstream and accumulate against the piers. There will also be lighting installed on both sides of the bridge.

9. Bridge Aesthetics (How the new bridge will look)
ODOT, the City of Defiance and Burgess & Niple have worked together to choose bridge aesthetics
Funding will be a combination of ODOT bridge funding, ODOT Transportation Alternatives Program funds, and contributions from the City of Defiance.
Plans includes lighting, decorative piers and railing, and lookouts
Several discussions have been held between the City of Defiance, our consultant and an architect to determine what the bridge should look like. The bridge will have several enhancements that will make the bridge look more unique than the standard basic ODOT bridge.

10. Proposed Clinton Street Bridge
Lookouts will be installed on the east side of the bridge. These areas will provide a place to stop and look at the river. They will be connected to the sidewalks that run to the parks on either side of the bridge. A shared use path will be located under the bridge on the north side and will provide access to land owned by the City on the northwest quadrant of the bridge. The City hopes to develop this land into a park in the future.

11. Proposed Clinton Street Bridge
Lighting will be installed on the bridge. Currently lighting on only one side. Lighting will be installed on both sides. Proposed bridge railing will be concrete with decorative repeating openings. Stonework and detail added to outside of bridge piers will also enhance the structure.

12. Proposed Clinton Street Bridge
ODOT and the City will contribute to the cost of the bridge enhancements. This is a view from the south lookout looking north.

13. Options for Maintaining Traffic During Construction
Two options:
Full Closure - Bridge can be closed during construction and traffic can utilize other river crossings
Part-width - Traffic can cross the bridge using one lane of traffic in each direction while the other half of the bridge is being constructed.
Now to move onto the main purpose of this meeting, maintaining traffic during construction. We have 2 options as far as traffic goes during construction. We can close the bridge or leave 2 lanes of traffic (one in each direction) open during construction. Based on comments we received early in the design process, we assumed that maintaining traffic across the bridge would be the desired option and that is what was presented at previous meetings. However due to comments we have received we are revaluating our assumption. There are pros and cons to each option and we hope to present them to you and obtain your input as far as which option you would like to see ODOT pursue. The slides will list the two options as shown above “Full Closure and Part Width”.

14. Speed of Construction Full Closure – Faster construction
Allows work to happen on the entire bridge at one time.
Part- width – Slower construction
Requires the bridge to be built in two separate halves at two separate times and then connected.
Since this bridge is made of box beams, we have the option to construct the bridge essentially in halves. We can close half the bridge, saw the roadway surface, and remove the beams on one half without disturbing the other. This allows us to keep half the bridge open to traffic. We can also remove and replace the piers in the water in the same fashion. However when you look at the construction time, it increases. Basically we are constructing two narrower bridges and joining them together. Specialized crews and equipment for pouring decks and setting beams will need to be onsite twice instead of once. So the process will take longer. How long will the bridge take to construct? It depends. We are comfortable saying 18 months if we completely close it or 24 months if we keep it open part width. Work could be completed faster, but it is weather dependent. The Maumee River is known to flood and any flooding will delay construction. Winters can also be harsh and temperature dependent work like pouring concrete could be limited during the winter months.

15. Detour Full Closure – Detour required Part-width - No detour required
Traffic will not be able to cross bridge
Part-width - No detour required
Traffic will be able to cross the bridge with one lane in each direction for the duration of the project
Detour routes are shown on the handout that was given to you. If we completely close the bridge the current Alternate truck route will be used as the detour. This route crosses the Maumee River using the SR 281 crossing. If the part width option is chosen, ODOT will place electronic portable message signs encouraging people to follow the truck route, but since the bridge is open there will be no official detour.

16. Pedestrian/Bicycle Access
Full Closure
No plans to maintain access across the river
Part - width
One sidewalk (minimum 5 feet wide) will remain available to cross river
Part width construction allows ODOT to maintain a sidewalk to cross the bridge. Since only one half of the bridge will be in service only 1 walk will be available at a time. Pedestrians on the opposite side of the road will have to cross the road, cross the bridge, and then cross back. Full closure will require the entire bridge to come down therefore pedestrians and bicycles will not have access to cross the bridge.

17. Safety Service & Hospital Access
Full Closure
Safety services utilize other crossings
Hospitals on both sides of Maumee River
Part - width
Safety services can cross bridge
Consideration will need to be given to how safety services like fire and EMS service will function during either the closure or part width scenario. Defiance is fortunate to have hospital and emergency room access on both sides of the river, but both options will affect how safety service functions. A full closure eliminates one possible crossing for these vehicles and could increase response time. The part width option will increase congestion in the downtown area and could increase response times in the areas adjacent to construction.

18. Traffic Impacts Downtown
Full Closure
Traffic cannot cross the bridge
Less downtown traffic
Traffic management plan to be developed with City
Part - width
Traffic can cross the bridge but with fewer lanes
More downtown congestion and delays possible
The bridge is currently crossed by 24,000 veh/day. During construction we will be either closing the bridge or reducing the number of lanes from 2 to 1 in each direction. In either case downtown traffic will be affected. If we completely close the bridge, traffic will be less. People will not be able to cross the river and will find alternate routes or plan their trips to avoid crossing the river. If traffic is maintained, the downtown area will be more congested. Traffic will be merged from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction in advance of the bridge. While details have not been completely worked out, I can say that traffic from Sessions Avenue (SR 15/18) intersection to South of the 3rd Street intersection will be affected. ODOT will work with the City of Defiance in either case to prepare a traffic management plan and attempt to minimize delays traffic downtown.

19. Traffic Impacts on Other Roadways
Full Closure
Traffic wanting to cross river will use SR 281 and US 24 river crossings
State route traffic will have a signed detour
Part - width
Traffic can cross the bridge but with fewer lanes
Some traffic will choose to use other crossings
Other routes that cross the Maumee River will also be affected by the bridge project. If we completely close the bridge traffic will be forced to use the other river crossings at SR 281 and US 24. The part width option will also have traffic impacts.

20. Traffic Impacts
For a complete closure, the detour route will direct people to the SR 281 crossing. This roadway is a two lane bridge that already carries 8000 veh/day. ODOT estimates there will be a 150% increase or around 20,000 vehicles/day cross the river at this location. Local traffic will also utilize the US 24 crossing to detour around the closures. ODOT’s initial estimates put slightly less vehicles on this route. There will probably be a reduction in the total number of river crossings in general. As motorists consider the length of the detour or the possible delays at the structure, people will cross the river less.
The part width option allows for vehicles to still cross the bridge but as construction causes delays for motorists, we anticipate people using the other river crossings to avoid the construction. The traffic increases anticipated at the other crossings is less with the part width construction.
How does this additional traffic affect the function of the alternate crossings? Areas of concern we are studying include the ramps at US 24 and SR 281, and the ramps at US 24 and Baltimore Street. A traffic signal is currently warranted at the westbound US 24 ramp at SR 281 and will be install prior to the bridge construction. In addition, based on the increased traffic, temporary signals may be required at all ramps at these intersections. ODOT will also look at the CR 424 signal with SR 281 just north of the SR 281 River crossing.

21. R/W Impacts Full Closure Part - width
Less temporary right-of-way required
Part - width
More temporary right-of-way required
Full closure allows the contractor to construct the bridge at one time and allows beams to be set on the whole structure at once from one side of the bridge. Part width requires beams be set at two times from different sides of the bridge.

22. Defiance College and Defiance City Schools
Full Closure
College – Students south of bridge need to detour to get to campus
City Schools – Bus routes need to change to account for detour
Part - width
College – Students south of bridge can still cross river on Clinton Street to get to campus
City Schools – Bus routes can stay the same
Access to the city schools and Defiance college will be affected by construction. Bus routes and access for students who live or work in the downtown area will be affected by full closure.

23. Current Project Schedule
Construction in 2019
Right-of-way acquisition anticipated to begin in 2017
Project schedule updates will be provided as changes in the schedule are known
Here is our current project schedule. We hope to sell this project in the winter of 2018 and that will allow the contractor to begin work sometime in Utility relocation work will happen prior to construction.

24. Next Steps Written comments due October 13, 2016
Decision on what to do with traffic during construction: October 20, 2016
Decision announced through media and website
So what’s next. ODOT will review your comments, both from this meeting and from the comment sheets we receive and make a decision. That decision will be relayed to the public via news media and on ODOT’s website.

25. Public Meeting Concerns/Input
Comments, concerns, or any information you can provide are appreciated!
Comments after the meeting should go to:
Jenn Gasser, ODOT District 1, (419) , or
Jeff Griffin, Burgess & Niple, (614) ,
Future project information – go to District 1 website, Construction Projects & click on DEF SR 15 Clinton Street Bridge