BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
HAMILTON -- As construction of the Butler County Regional Highway heats up this summer, so will construction traffic on other area roads. To minimize the inconvenience and safety concerns, highway contractors and Butler County Engineer Dean Foster have designated a network of roads as "haul roads" -- routes selected for construction vehicles to move about on in Hamilton and Liberty and Fairfield townships. The roads are mainly major thoroughfares.
They include parts of Interstate 75, Ohio 63, Ohio 747, Ohio 129, Ohio Bypass 4 and Hamilton-Mason, Cincinnati-Dayton, Butler-Warren and Princeton roads. At times, other roads may be used for specific needs, but those cases will reviewed individually.
"There are certain two-lane roads that are safer than others," said Chris Petrocy of the Butler County engineer's office. "Some roads have better sight distance, better alignment and no briges posted with weight limits. Bridge weight limits are very important." "The haul roads are just what it says, to haul material where we need it," said Karen Lane DeRosa, spokeswoman for the Butler County Transportation Improvement District, the agency charged with building the 11-mile highway linking Hamilton to Interstate 75.
"We had to have strong-enough roads to get around the project," she said. "Contractors can only haul on the approved haul roads." Residents can expect to see more large dump trucks rumbling by -- leaving behind mud and dust, depending on the weather -- but officials hope the inconvenience will be limited.
"They'll see an increase in the construction-type traffic," said Mr. Foster. "They may see some material being delivered. They're not going to see the big earth-moving equipment on those roads."
Because the roads tend to be busy routes, most houses on them are set back, which will help keep noise and dust from bothering residents, said Liberty Township Trustee Bob Shelley. They are also less-populated.
The roads were chosen because of their proximity to the highway corridor and their ability to handle the weight of the equipment. "Those specific routes are the routes that can handle the abuse," said Mr. Foster. "It's 100 percent for the safety of the traveling public."
Mr. Foster said the roads are expected to be in equal or better condition when construction on the highway is finished. His crews are videotaping the roads to verify their status.
"Our goal through the entire construction season is to make sure that the roads that they do use are left in better shape or the same shape than when they started," Mr. Foster said. "We know what these roads are like right now."
Mr. Shelley agreed: "The only thing that I wanted to ensure is that the roads are at least returned to the original state."
