Pavement replacement program doubles pace in 2015

The Ohio Turnpike is now 60 years old and its pavement has held up well but is overdue for replacement. This is why it is necessary to replace the entire depth of the pavement down to the dirt, across the 241-mile roadway.

With its largest capital improvement budget in more than a decade, the Ohio Turnpike is doubling the number of pavement replacement projects that will be under construction in 2015.

Two such projects that began in 2014 with the replacement of five- and six-mile long sections of eastbound lanes in Cuyahoga and Sandusky Counties, respectively, will have the westbound pavement replaced in 2015.

The westbound lanes are scheduled for completion from Mileposts 164.8 to 159.8 in Cuyahoga County and from Mileposts 101.2 to 107.2 in Sandusky County. Meanwhile, two new projects will begin this year to replace five-mile long sections of pavement in Lorain (Mileposts 144.41 to 149.24) and Trumbull (Mileposts 216.1 to 221.0) Counties in the eastbound lanes.

"We conducted a pavement study to evaluate the condition of the pavement for the entire length of the Turnpike," said Anthony Yacobucci, Chief Engineer. "We are updating the study to help us prioritize sections based generally upon levels of deterioration as well as other factors."

Anthony Yacobucci
Chief Engineer

Video shows importance of Moving Over & Slowing Down

The week of March 23-27 is National Work Zone Awareness Week. The theme is "Expect the Unexpected." Since the creation of the national campaign 15 years ago, the number of work zone fatalities has dropped significantly in the United States, yet there is still work to be done to avoid further tragedies.

Ohio's Move Over and Slow Down Law requires motorists to cautiously shift over one lane -- or slow down in a work zone if changing lanes is not possible. The law applies to every stationary vehicle with flashing lights, including road construction, maintenance and utility crews.

For more information about the Move Over, Slow Down Law, please watch the brief video below and visit www.MoveOver.Ohio.gov.

Turnpike Winter Photo Contest Winner Receives Prize

Turnpike customer and Cuyahoga Falls resident Robert Vaughn (center) received his Starbucks Gift Basket recently for shooting the winning winter photograph last month. Pictured below with Vaughn and his $150 gift basket are Andrew Herberger, Ohio Turnpike Service Plaza Operations Manger (left) and Chris Near, Senior Director, HMS Host (right). Thanks to HMS Host and Starbucks for making this contest possible. Read Customer Connection regularly and enter our contests for chances to win great  prizes.

Ohio Turnpike Snow & Ice crews wrap up winter season

From last November until recently, Ohio Turnpike personnel performed snow and ice control on 241 miles of mainline, 31 interchanges and 14 service plazas. Through March 4, 2015, crews used 74,000 tons of salt to keep the road clean and safe.

"The average yearly use is about 67,000 tons," stated Chris Matta, Ohio Turnpike Maintenance Engineer.

"In addition to the rock salt, we have used more than 200,000 gallons of liquid chlorides to pre-wet the rock salt and to pre-treat bridge decks," said Matta. "Pre-wetting is a strategy of applying a liquid deicing solution to salt before or during its application to the pavement to reduce bounce and scatter. The pre-treatment deicing on quick-freezing bridge decks helps prevent accidents."

The total cost of labor and materials is higher than historical averages with material usage making up 65 percent of the cost, mainly due to higher than normal salt costs. Turnpike crews have patrolled, plowed and spread material on approximately 760,000 lane miles to prepare for--and respond to--snow and ice events.

"On one extreme example we've had snowfall in Ohio as late as May 10, so we know the season may not be completely over yet. If we do get another blast of winter, customers can rest assured our crews will be out there to keep them moving safely to their destinations," added Matta. 

Chris Matta
Maintenance Engineer

Ohio Turnpike seeks ideas/photos for 60th anniversary

As the Ohio Turnpike's 60th anniversary approaches on Oct. 1, 2015, we are asking customers for ideas, photographs or memorabilia to use or borrow for the occasion.

 "The 60th anniversary is a great opportunity for customers to share their ideas and stories," said Executive Director Randy Cole. "We'd also appreciate being able to borrow any photos or memorabilia for displays during the year." Simply send an email to news@ohioturnpike.org to let us know.

The final total cost to build the Ohio Turnpike was $299,689,000. The first purchases of rights-of-way were made on Aug. 29, 1952. In all, 5,600 parcels totaling 8,786 acres for the road's corridor were bought at a cost of $19,188,145.

On Oct. 27, 1952, Horvitz Company's power shovels tore into the west bank of the Cuyahoga River in Peninsula to begin the first project, the twin bridges over the Cuyahoga River Valley, as seen below.

Randy Cole
Executive Director

Ohio Turnpike helps Girl Scouts with cookie pick-up

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led financial literacy program in the world. It teaches girls business skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and ethics.

That's why the Ohio Turnpike was proud to share equipment with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio by loaning 100 traffic cones to assist with traffic control during their annual "cookie drop" of more than 2.4 million cookies to Girl Scout Troops in 18 NE Ohio counties. The Girls Scouts will be selling cookies through March 29th.

Pictured left to right below are Gary Norris, Asst. Foreman, Ohio Turnpike Boston Maintenance Building, Sue Majzun, Product Sales Manager, Girls Scouts of Northeast Ohio, Kenton Garwood, Camp Ranger, Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio and Chad Armstrong, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Ohio Turnpike.

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Published by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission,
Randy Cole, Executive Director
Adam Greenslade, Director of Government Affairs, Marketing and Communications
Questions or suggestions? Contact Brian Newbacher, Editor, brian.newbacher@ohioturnpike.org.

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