Butler Warren road project set to begin, expected to take more than a year to complete

WEST CHESTER, Ohio - Long-anticipated improvements to a heavily traveled section of Butler Warren Road are about to get under way, according to officials from the Butler and Warren County Engineer's offices.

Construction is slated to start on the first phase beginning Monday, Feb. 27 which will require closing the road between Tylersville Road and Liberty Way / Mason Road for a period of about four months.

The full project involves widening 2.2 miles of Butler Warren from two to five lanes between Tylersville Road and Bethany Road, thereby creating two northbound and southbound lanes plus a center turn lane. Plans also call for adding curb and gutter and building a shared use path along the west side of the road from Tylersville to Sweet Briar Drive. A sidewalk will also be added on the east side from Mason Road to Hampton Cove Court.

The new design help traffic flow more efficiently. It will also facilitate safer pedestrian and bike travel, especially with the adjacent VOA MetroPark and large number of nearby subdivisions.

Since Butler Warren Road straddles the county line, the engineer's offices from both counties have been working together for many years to address the unique requirements specific to this project. Officials from West Chester, Liberty, and Deerfield townships and the city of Mason have also had some involvement as well as the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

"This is a major upgrade that has taken many years to prepare due to the number of different jurisdictions involved, complicated right-of-way clearances, and a complex system of utility relocations necessary before construction could even begin," said Butler County Engineer Greg Wilkens.

The majority of the work is scheduled for completion by late 2012, weather permitting; however, final paving, construction of the multi-use path, and general cleanup are slated for spring 2013. Any work-related road closures are expected to occur this year only.

A contract for construction was awarded last year to the John R. Jurgenson Company of Cincinnati which submitted a low bid of $9,971,021. Federal LPA and State OPWC grant money along with local matching funds from Butler and Warren Counties will be utilized to pay for the project.

The Butler Warren Road improvement will be accomplished in four phases. Only the first phase will involve an extended road closure. After that, the remainder of the work will be performed under traffic with only a few short closures anticipated during Phase 3.

PHASE 1 -- Starting February 27, 2012, Butler Warren Road will be closed and rebuilt from 450 feet north of Tylersville Road to just south of Liberty Way / Mason Road. During this closure, businesses at the corner of Tylersville and Butler Warren will maintain access from Tylersville Road; however, residential access on Butler Warren within the closure area will be maintained from the north (Liberty Way / Mason Road) end only. Phase 1 completion is tentatively scheduled for early summer 2012 at which time the road will reopen.
Detour for PHASE 1: Northbound Butler Warren Road traffic will detour west on Tylersville Road, north on Cox Road, and east on Liberty Way. Southbound traffic will reverse this route.

PHASE 2 -- Start early summer 2012. This phase involves reconstruction of the intersection at Butler Warren Road and Liberty Way / Mason Road. No closures anticipated. All work to be performed while thru traffic is maintained. Phase 2 completion tentatively scheduled for mid-summer 2012.

PHASE 3 -- Start mid-summer 2012. Involves rebuilding the section of Butler Warren Road from Liberty Way / Mason Road north to Bethany Road. The intersection at Bethany Road will also be completely reconstructed during this phase. Potential for several short 2-3 day closures to replace small bridge structures. Separate and specific news releases with detour information will be issued for any closures before they occur. This phase is the most complicated portion of the overall project with expected completion in November 2012.

PHASE 4 -- Final phase to be completed in spring 2013. This phase includes construction of the new multi-use hike-bike path on the west side of the road, final paving and lane striping throughout the entire project length, and placement of reflective pavement markings. No road closures are anticipated for this phase although final paving may require temporary lane closures.

All dates are approximate. Motorists are encouraged to check the BCEO and Warren County Engineer's web sites for possible date and status changes concerning this project and associated road closures.

Butler County Engineer's Office
www.bceo.org

Warren County Engineer's Office
www.wceo.us