MOUNT VERNON — Knox County’s 2026 road projects include one bridge replacement, six culvert projects, and Phase III of the Danville-Amity Road improvements.
The bridge replacement is on Howard-Danville Road (County Road 9). Its scope includes replacing the existing 70-foot single-span steel pony truss bridge over Little Jelloway Creek with a prestressed concrete box beam.
Local Bridge Replacement funds will cover 95% of the $1.147 million estimated cost. Local funds will cover the remaining 5 percent.
Construction is slated to begin in the spring with completion in July.
Motorists traveling on Danville-Amity Road (County Road 14) should see Phase III of the road improvement project completed this year.
Phase III is the section from Monroe Mills Road to Amity (Ohio 3). The estimated cost is $350,538. Ohio Public Works Commission funding will cover 74 percent. Local funds will cover 26 percent.
“This will be a mill-and-fill project without any widening taking place,” Knox County Engineer Cameron Keaton said. “This will be the last phase of the safety improvement project on Danville-Amity Road.”
Phase III will start in the spring. Keaton anticipates a completion date of October.
The multi-year project started in 2024. Phase I was from Danville to Skyline Drive. Phase II was Skyline Drive to Monroe Mills.
Annual resurfacing: $1,231,724
One hundred percent local funds will pay for resurfacing 19.25 miles of roadway. Construction will be completed by the fall.
Following is a breakdown of scheduled projects and estimated costs.
Asphalt level and chip, seal & berm (17.52 miles)
•Simmons Church Road (CR 25) $314,667
•Dunham Road (CR 1) $265,750
•Montgomery Road (CR 66) $180,844
•Vance Road (CR 29) $204,445
•Utica Road (CR 28B) $19,151
•Vincent Road (CR 46) $203,742
Chip & Seal: 1.73 miles
•Magers Road (CR 94) $6,500
•Prospect Road (CR 85) $4,375
•Brinkhaven Road (CR 78) $32,250
In 2022, the resurfacing cost was $42,478 per mile. That number jumped to over $69,000 in 2024.
Keaton said cost estimates might be adjusted by the time the county advertises the projects.
“Estimates are always based on the most recent bid numbers, and the last couple of years we have experienced a modest increase in asphalt, [but] not like the huge jump in prices we saw three to five years ago,” he said.
“The price of asphalt is directly tied to petroleum, and the past couple of years, gas prices have been down or holding steady.”
Box culvert projects: $313,144
One hundred percent of local funds will also cover six culvert projects. Crews will complete all six by the fall. The culvert project is out for bids.
•Tulloss Road (28A) $66,500
•Simmons Church Road (CR 25) $68,128
•Burtnett Road (TR 156) $47,622
•Airport Road (TR 126) $50,945
•Eckart Road (TR 101) $49,928
•Sharp Road (TR 130) $30,021
The 2026 nongeneral fund budget the Knox County commissioners adopted earlier this month reflects a $9.2 million budget for the county engineer’s office.
Approximately $2 million is a carryover from 2025.
“We try to maintain a carryover balance each year to cover unexpected expenses,” Keaton said.
“The actual revenue we received in 2025 was approximately $7.6 million. We are anticipating and budgeting for $7.9 million in revenue for 2026 and will hopefully be able to maintain the $2 million carryover balance.”
The engineer’s office receives most of its revenue from the gasoline tax and license fees.