WCPO 9's Jackie Bauer covers Warren County. If you have a story that you'd like Jackie to look into or a news tip, email her at Jackie@WCPO.com.
WARREN COUNTY, Ohio — Work on State Route 63 between Monroe and Lebanon is nearly complete after a year of delays, but drivers may still see crews on the road into the start of July, with the potential for more construction around the corner.
The project, designed by the Warren County Engineers Office, widens the road from two to four lanes between the Union Road and 741 intersections to ease congestion along one of the area's busiest corridors.
WATCH: Drivers discuss the construction on State Route 63
Signals are complete, and the road has reopened, but top paving, originally expected to finish last weekend, has been pushed back.
Kathleen Fuller with the Ohio Department of Transportation said this week's rain and chance of severe weather have contributed to the delays.
Fuller said the work is necessary as traffic in the area continues to grow.
"We wanted to get this through because we're seeing a huge uptick of traffic. It's really been a growing trend between Monroe and Lebanon. You know, State Route 63, 741, a lot of traffic through this area," Fuller said.
But not all drivers are convinced the project will wrap up soon.
"It'll be just like that one lane where they said it was gonna be cleared and then now they're doing something else," one driver said.
Some residents say the construction has pushed them to find alternate routes entirely, while others expressed frustration not just with the road work, but with the pace of development in the surrounding area.
"They're putting too much in at once and whoever did the traffic designs really did not consider the impact," another resident said.
As the county continues to grow, it needs roads that can keep up. The city of Lebanon has a project in the works to widen State Route 63 to three lanes and add a roundabout further down the corridor, with a target completion date in 2028.
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WCPO 9's Jackie Bauer covers Warren County. If you have a story that you'd like Jackie to look into or a news tip, email her at Jackie@WCPO.com.
