$35 million of COVID relief money allocated for landslide prevention projects in Washington County

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio (WTAP) -Drivers throughout Ohio are no strangers to orange barrels and road work signs. And more of them will start to pop up throughout Eastern and Southern Ohio starting today.

The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Marietta post announced that the first of a dozen landslide repair and prevention projects starts today off of State Route 550.

Ashley Rittenhouse, Public Information Officer for the Marietta Office says contractors will build a retaining wall between Rowland Lane and West Road in the Bartlett area. The purpose of the wall is to prevent any landslides that could affect drivers and people who live along the road. Rittenhouse also shared how the projects are being funded.

“Governor Dewine as well as ODOT’s Director Jack Marchbanks, they saw an opportunity to allocate 35 million dollars to proactively address landslide and rockfall projects in Southern and Eastern Ohio,” Rittenhouse said.

The westbound lane between Rowland Lane and West Road will be closed and traffic will be maintained with temporary signals. The project is expected to wrap up on December 1, 2021 and the other 11 landslide projects will be worked on throughout the next few years.

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