Ohio DOT to move forward with overpass safety project in Hancock County

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 and the Hancock County Engineer’s Office will move forward with the design of a project to construct an overpass at the intersection of S.R. 15 and County Road 169.

The purpose of the project is to improve safety, reduce crashes, and control access to the divided highway at this location near the village of Vanlue, according to an ODOT press release. The estimated $4.5 million project is expected to begin construction in the spring of 2023.

ODOT and Hancock County Engineers worked together to secure funds through Ohio’s Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).

“One of the challenges of projects such as this one is balancing the various public safety needs. The location at State Route 15/County Road 169 was selected for an overpass as it was determined to best provide an additional crossover point for both emergency responders and the local community,” Doug Cade, Hancock County Engineer, said in a statement.

In 2020, Hancock County Commissioners approved a request by Amanda Township Trustees to remove access to State Route 15 at Township Road 196 and Township Road 198 on either side of Vanlue. The township roads were closed in late September, the median pavement has been removed, and work on the cul-de-sacs is expected to be complete in mid November.

With increasing traffic on State Route 15, the gaps needed to cross the divided highway are becoming smaller and less frequent. The cul-de-sacs support the long-term vision of creating a true limited access corridor, ODOT says.