MOUNT VERNON — Spring officially arrived in Ohio on March 20, but the surefire way to tell it’s here is when the orange barrels pop up on local roadways.
There will be plenty of those dreaded items in Knox County and throughout the state.
According to an Ohio Department of Transportation press release, ODOT will begin a record-breaking $3.4 billion construction season statewide.
That spans 977 projects and includes improvements to 739 bridges and approximately 4,562 miles of roadway. (That’s the equivalent of driving from Columbus to San Diego and back, according to the release.)
It also includes the start of 174 safety projects.
“As a state that makes and moves things, we must have a safe transportation system that is well maintained,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “As they do each year, our ODOT teams will be making enhancements to Ohio’s roadways to better protect everyone traveling on them.”
ODOT projects in Knox County include:
• State Route 13 rehabilitation inside Mount Vernon, $8,480,000.
• U.S. 62 and State Route 205 resurfacing and related work, $4,760,000.
• Danville-Amity Road (County Road 14) safety improvements,Phase III, from Monroe Mills to Amity (Ohio Route 3), $3,080,000. Crews should complete the work in October.
• State Route 3 rehabilitation of ODOT-maintained pedestrian facilities along State Route 3 near Amity.
Local road projects
County projects include a bridge replacement over Little Jelloway Creek on Howard-Danville Road (County Road 9). County Engineer Cameron Keaton expects completion in July.
Other county work includes six culvert projects and resurfacing of 19.25 miles of roadway.
Morris Township received an Ohio Public Works Grant to widen parts of McKenzie Road. The total estimated cost is $263,132. Morris Township will pay 26%; the remaining 74% will be state grant funding.
Township Trustee Dan Humphrey said the trustees will bid the project in two weeks. He expects crews to complete the work this summer.
Additional projects could affect Knox County motorists
Other Central Ohio ODOT projects likely to affect Knox County drivers include ongoing work to modify the I-71/U.S. 36 & State Route 37 interchange. The project includes a new bridge carrying Sunbury Parkway over I-71 and the addition of collector-distributor lanes.
The project builds Sunbury Parkway from west of I-71 to Wilson Road and connects the existing Wilson Road to the new parkway.
In Licking County, rehabilitation of State Routes 16 & 37 near Granville will begin this spring. Phase 1 includes pavement repairs, resurfacing, median reconstruction, and bridge repairs. ODOT will maintain access to Granville.
Morrow County work includes resurfacing State Route 61 from State Route 229 to U.S. 42. Work includes minor pavement repairs and guardrail upgrades as needed.
Work zone safety
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that 4,435 work zone crashes occurred in 2025. Workers were present in 34 percent of the incidents.
Twenty-one people were killed in 17 crashes; another 96 were seriously injured.
According to the release, speeding and following too closely remain the leading factors in work zone crashes. Troopers wrote 7,019 speeding citations in work zones, with 36 percent for speeds more than 20 miles per hour above the posted limit.
In February, 25-year-old Jordan Thomas was working for Kokosing Construction when he was struck and killed on I-71 near Ohio 315 at 2 a.m.
The driver fled the scene and has not yet been located. A $110,000 reward, with Kokosing Construction putting up $100,000, has been offered for information leading to their arrest.
Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is asked to contact Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477. Tips can be reported anonymously.
