Published December 01, 2008 10:56 pm - Crews will work six, 10-hour days this week to get the Harbor lift bridge lowered by Dec. 18, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation said Monday.
ODOT crews work long hours to get bridge open
By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
ASHTABULA — Crews will work six, 10-hour days this week to get the Harbor lift bridge lowered by Dec. 18, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation said Monday.
Eric Czetli, ODOT District 4 deputy director, and construction engineer Phil Crish came to town three weeks ago and promised to lower the 83-year-old bridge and to leave it down for about a month. This move would give the Bridge Street merchants a week of Christmas shopping season and a few weeks beyond. Czetli also promised to do a better job of communicating ODOT’s progress with the public.
“The reassembly of the north and south gear trains are complete,” said Paula Putnam, public information officer for District 4. “The contractor will connect the operating struts once the electrical contractor finishes the checks on the new equipment, specifically the new controller for the motors and brakes.”
Once the motors and brakes are working, the operating struts can be connected, she said.
“The subcontractor will continue to check the new systems this week,” Putnam said. “The new controller for the motors and brakes is the critical item to check.”
Testing should be completed by Friday, she said.
As for the road work, crews have finished with the approach slabs. The patching of the counterweight and the piers is complete. The barrier gates are installed but not hooked up yet.
When the bridge is lowered Dec. 18, Harbor merchants hope to accrue holiday shopping dollars and the Lights on the Lake committee hopes it will increase traffic through its show at Lake Shore Park.
In mid-January, the bridge will go up again to allow workers to align and balance it, and then, it would come down until spring. That’s when it will go up for final painting and some roadwork.
Crish said the goal is to have all of the work completed by June 1.
Christmas Trees! Spruce & Pine - Wagon Rides, Big Selection. (440)293-7330 www.logbarnfarm.com...>MORE
Cemetery Lots 2-lots Garden of Christus, Greenlawn. $400/both. 440-391-3795...>MORE
WANTED TO BUY!! Wanted to Buy Complete plow assembly for a 2002 Dodge pick up truck. 440-319-5510 lv msg....>MORE
MACHINERY & TOOLS SAFES- Large & small, Forklifts, extra forks, Pallet Jacks, air compressors, (1-20HP), complete torch sets, welding gass...>MORE
CHRISTMAS TREES PreCut or You Cut $25. Nov. 27th Saturdays & Sundays 9-5; 5926 Sidley Rd. Madison 440-298-1818...>MORE
BUYING JUNK VEHICLES WE PAY SCRAP OR BETTER Budget Auto Parts, 6015 Woodman Ave. 992-1111...>MORE
SEASONED FIREWOOD FOR SALE Mixed Hardwoods. Cut & split approx 16” $225.00 cord (+) or Slab wood, cut $150.00 cord(+). Delivered within 15 miles of...>MORE
WANTED TO BUY Immediate Cash for unwanted items. Call for details 440-319-4274...>MORE
"WE NEED LAND!" Paying top prices for farms or acreage in OH, W. Virginia and PA. Call Bruner Land Co. at (740) 685-8138....>MORE