Delaware, Ohio is one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties in the country, and the majority of that growth has occurred in the southern portion of the county.
And the past few years a couple of projects have become the torch-bearer for those that live in the county about the future of development.
The Orange Road Bridge project has become one of these projects. Orange Road is located between U.S. 23 and St. Rte. 315 and crosses the Olentangy River. It is at that crossing, where the debate has raged.
Orange Road Bridge was built 1898 by Toledo Bridge Company. And from an application by the Friends of the Olentangy River for the bridge to be included on the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic bridge specialist David A. Simmons visited the bridge in March, 2001 and “…was struck by the remarkable condition of this structure. Totally absent was the pack rust and corrosion that has led to section loss in many structures that are 100+ years old. I was truly astounded, based on my brief visual inspection, at the quality of the lower chord. In many historic bridges I have inspected, this member is often seriously deteriorated from deicing chemicals. My initial thought is that this bridge is an outstanding candidate for preservation and continued use.”
According to the Delaware County Engineer’s Office, the reasons for the project include:
2) Why are you doing this project?
The existing bridge is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete based on its reduced structural capacity, width and sight distance1. The following deficiencies define the need for the improvement:
- Structural Capacity – The existing bridge is structurally deficient and was reduced to a three-ton weight limit in April 2005. The county implemented the reduction because of severe degradation.
- Width – The existing bridge, approximately 16-feet wide, can only handle one car crossing at a time. The bridge should accommodate at least two-way traffic and fulfill the requirements of Orange Road’s functional classification2 to limit delays.
- Sight Distance – The existing bridge is higher than the road and obstructs a driver’s view as they approach and drive across the bridge.
The battle is on two-fronts:
What to do about the bridge – can it be preserved or saved?
And about controlling traffic in this area of Orange Road. If Orange Road becomes the major throughfare that has been designated by the county, what happens to the quality of life in this section of Liberty Township?
Delaware County engineers have expressed throughout the process that they are interested in preserving the current bridge. Whether it becomes a pedestrian bridge over the Olentangy or is moved to another location – it appears that the bridge will remain in some aspect.
Regarding the effect on traffic, I think that will depend greatly on how long it takes for the state and county to upgrade other intersections – primarily St. Rte. 750 (Powell Road) and St. Rte. 315 — and bridge crossings. In the short-term the traffic counts will increase, but when ODOT upgrades the 315/750 intersection those counts will decrease and will have a limited impact on the area.
Photo by Toby Boyce
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Delaware has lost virtually all its historic bridges and seems to be determined to continue in this manner. I gather the decision has been made to bypass the bridge. However, unless funding is available up front to preserve it in a park like setting it will be ultimately lost. They should take as a model the Big Run Road Truss Bridge in Knox county where grant money was sought and won for its preservation.
[...] loved the photos and the really good map directions. Jones left a comment on our Orange Road Bridge post that says a lot about Delaware County’s preservation efforts. “Delaware has lost [...]
There’s no question that the bridge should be saved. It’s a tangible link to the past, and a beautiful artifact along one of the state’s most scenic drives. Additionally, it should be converted to pedestrian use and a section of the approach from the east converted to a parking area. The flood plain southeast of the bridge could be made into a small park with a trail along the river and some picnic tables could be added. The bridge should also be marked as one of only 2 of its kind remaining in Ohio, and as being the only bridge out of 13 in the county that survived the flood of 1913. It’s remarkable it’s still here.
Hello,
I have years of experience fighting bad decisions by government in transportaion matters. I am sure I can help you save the bridge for its traditional use, if that is your goal. First, you should look into a new approach to project selection adopted by the FHWA that all states are also required to adopt, called “Context Sensitive Solutions” and “Context Sensitive Design.” A web search will tell you more. You can ask the Ohio DOT about it, too. It is an alternative set of guidelines that a DOT can choose to use that allows it to set aside its usual standards and allow non-standard (or substandard) facilites remain.
I can offer some ideas on coalition building, too, if you like.
Barry Klein
Houston, Texas
713-224-4144