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City of Kettering Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project Update - August 2021

Construction of the new bridge will soon be complete, and we plan to open it to traffic by the week of August 16, weather permitting. Work continues on painting and sealing the concrete surfaces of the bridge. The public art was installed, the hillsides around the bridge will be restored and seeded for new grass and final cleanup work will be completed. A permanent vandal prevention fence will be installed on both sides of the bridge near the end of September. In the meantime, a temporary vandal fence is in place on the bridge sidewalks until the permanent fence is installed. The bridge will remain closed to traffic until all work is complete. 

The original bridge was constructed in 1965 with the widening, realignment and lowering of West Dorothy Lane. The last rehabilitation project for the bridge was completed in 2005, and involved the replacement of 6 beams on the center span over Dorothy, along with new concrete walls, concrete sidewalks, and steel railings along the top of the bridge and a new asphalt surface. The entire bridge was also sealed with epoxy paint.
Replacement of the original bridge was necessary due to advanced deterioration in the bridge support columns and several of the beams that were not replaced in 2005. The expected service life of the original bridge was 50 years; we were able to get 55 years. The new bridge has an expected 80-year service life.

 

Thank you for your patience during the past eight months. We are excited for the new bridge to open and hope everyone enjoys it for many years to come.

 

Steven Bergstresser, P.E.
Assistant City Manager / City Engineer
City of Kettering
City Manager’s Office
937-296-2412
Steven.Bergstresser@ketteringoh.org

Ridgeway Artwork

The following is archived information from the earlier stages of the Ridgeway Road Bridge project.

City of Kettering Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project Update - May 2021

Construction is ongoing for the replacement of the Ridgeway Road bridge over West Dorothy Lane. Brumbaugh Construction, the contractor for the project, recently installed the new beams for the bridge and poured the concrete deck.

Work is now underway to complete the roadway approaches to the bridge, as well as the concrete safety walls along the sides of the bridge. Traffic is currently being maintained on West Dorothy Lane with single lane closures. Motorists are asked to use caution and reduce speed while traveling through the construction zone. Construction is on schedule to be complete by mid-August.

For more information on this project, please visit https://www.ketteringoh.org/ridgewayroadbridgereplacement/

 

Steven Bergstresser, P.E.
Assistant City Manager / City Engineer
City of Kettering
City Manager’s Office
937-296-2412
Steven.Bergstresser@ketteringoh.org

City of Kettering Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project Update - April 2021

Construction is ongoing for the replacement of the Ridgeway Road bridge over West Dorothy Lane.

Due to overnight work on the Ridgeway Road bridge replacement project, West Dorothy Lane will close to through traffic between Southern Boulevard and Far Hills Avenue from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 13 and again on Wednesday, April 14.
These closures are necessary as beams will be delivered and set into place for the new Ridgeway Road bridge. The detour route for West Dorothy Lane will use Southern Boulevard, West Stroop Road and Far Hills Avenue for both directions of Dorothy Lane traffic. Local traffic will be maintained along West Dorothy Lane, but the road will be blocked at the Ridgeway Road bridge.

Updates will be provided on the City of Kettering’s Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the process.

 

City of Kettering Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project Update - January 2021

Construction is ongoing for the replacement of the Ridgeway Road bridge over West Dorothy Lane. Brumbaugh Construction, the contractor for the project, is working to build the foundations and abutment walls for the new bridge. Traffic is currently being maintained on West Dorothy Lane with single lane closures. Motorists are asked to use caution and reduce speed while traveling through the construction zone.

Updates will be provided on the City of Kettering’s Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the process.

If you have questions about the Ridgeway Road Bridge project, please contact:

Steven Bergstresser, P.E.

Assistant City Manager / City Engineer

City of Kettering

City Manager’s Office

937-296-2412

Steven.Bergstresser@ketteringoh.org

ridgeway from above
Ridgeway January

City of Kettering Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project Update - December 2020 

Due to activity on the Ridgeway Bridge replacement project, West Dorothy Lane will close to through traffic--but will remain open to local traffic--between Southern Boulevard and Far Hills Avenue on two occasions during the next two weeks.

The first closure will take place Saturday, December 12, from 6:00 AM until 6:00 PM.  During this closure, the parapet walls and sidewalks along the sides of the bridge over Dorothy Lane will be removed.

The second closure will begin December 18 at 5:00 a.m., and will end late Saturday, December 19.  The bridge beams over Dorothy Lane will be removed and hauled away during this closure.

The detour route for West Dorothy Lane will use Southern Boulevard, West Stroop Road and Far Hills Avenue for both directions of Dorothy Lane traffic.

Updates will be provided on the City of Kettering’s Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the process.

 

Ridgeway

City of Kettering Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project Update - November 2020 

Construction will begin soon on the replacement of the Ridgeway Road Bridge over West Dorothy Lane.  The contractor for the project will be Brumbaugh Construction.  The project is expected to be complete by fall 2021.

Starting in early December, Ridgeway Road will be closed between Canterbury Drive and Oak Knoll Drive for the duration of the project.  Detour routes will be posted.  Preliminary construction work will also start in early December to clear vegetation and prepare the existing bridge for demolition.  Part of the bridge demolition work will require a temporary night and weekend closure of West Dorothy Lane.  For more information and announcements, please monitor the City’s website (www.ketteringoh.org/ridgeway-bridge/), Facebook page (City of Kettering, Ohio – Government), and local news media.

The CitySites public art project, Foliage by Cliff Garten Studio, will be installed later in 2021 when the bridge replacement project is nearing completion.  Please visit www.playkettering.org/ridgeway-road-bridge-project/ for information about the public art project and to view renderings of the proposed artwork.

If you have questions about the Ridgeway Road Bridge project, please contact:

Steven Bergstresser, P.E.

Assistant City Manager / City Engineer

City of Kettering

City Manager’s Office

937-296-2412

Steven.Bergstresser@ketteringoh.org

 

Spring 2019 Ridgeway Road Bridge Project Update

 

The City of Kettering is planning for the replacement of the Ridgeway Road Bridge. The replacement bridge will be similar to the existing bridge, and will be capable of carrying vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.  It will also include a public art component installed as part of the CitySites program.

The Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project was selected for funding under the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Municipal Bridge Program. ODOT will fund 95% of the construction cost to replace the bridge, up to $2,000,000. The current estimated cost to replace the bridge, including engineering design and right-of-way costs, is $2,675,000.  The public art component of the project has been budgeted at $350,000.00, for a total estimated project cost of $3,025,000. Construction is currently scheduled to begin in late 2020 or early 2021, when the Municipal Bridge funds are available from ODOT.

In preparation for the project, the City of Kettering held a public meeting on April 4, 2019.  Materials from the meeting are provided below.  Please email the Kettering City Manager’s Office at KetteringCityManager@ketteringoh.org  for additional details.

Ridgeway Bridge Feasibility Study

Ridgeway Bridge Public Meeting - Brochure 

Ridgeway Bridge Public Meeting - Comment Form (Please submit by May 10, 2019)

Ridgeway Bridge Public Meeting - Notice Letter

Ridgeway Bridge Public Meeting - Presentation

Ridgeway Bridge Concept Video (below)

2018 Project Update
In late 2017, following significant citizen engagement efforts to collect feedback on project alternatives, Kettering Mayor and City Council directed city administration to pursue grant funding for the purpose of reconstructing the Ridgeway Road Bridge for all modes of traffic.
We are pleased to announce that the Ridgeway Road Bridge Replacement Project has been selected for funding under the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Municipal Bridge Program. 
Kettering Assistant City Manager & City Engineer Steve Bergstresser wrote the grant and successfully presented to ODOT the need for this project. The citizen input collected last fall was a critical component of the application.
  • ODOT will fund 95% of the construction cost to replace the bridge, up to $2,000,000
  • The current estimated cost to replace the bridge, including engineering design and right-of-way costs, is $2,675,000
  • $10.3 million was awarded by ODOT to 14 projects state-wide in this year's round of applications for the Municipal Bridge Program
  • The $2,000,000 received for the Ridgeway Bridge is the largest amount awarded to a single project among the 14 projects that were funded
  • Construction is currently scheduled to begin in late 2020 or early 2021, when the Municipal Bridge funds are available from ODOT
  • The agenda for the Tuesday, July 10 City Council meeting will include authorization to seek a design consultant to prepare the construction plans for the replacement bridge
  • The replacement bridge will be similar to the existing bridge, and will be capable of carrying vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians
  • The City will continue to seek additional grant funding from other sources to supplement the ODOT-approved construction funding for the replacement bridge
We would like to thank everyone who responded to the public engagement survey for this project.  ODOT officials who reviewed the funding application were very impressed by the high level of public support for this project.  Obtaining grant funding to replace the bridge would have been much more difficult without the community support this project received.

2017 Project Updates

At the November 28, 2017 City Council workshop Assistant City Manager Steve Bergstresser presented the survey results and staff recommendations for the Ridgeway Road Bridge project.  Mayor and City Council directed city administration to pursue grant funding for the purpose of reconstructing the Ridgeway Road Bridge for all modes of traffic.

Ridgeway Road Bridge Presentation to City Council from 11.28.2017

Video of the Ridgeway Road Bridge Presentation to City Council

Thank you to the more than 800 interested residents who participated in the Ridgeway Road bridge survey during the September 29 - October 31 feedback period.

Survey results are now available.

The City of Kettering piloted a new public engagement process to gain feedback on this project.  It was very important to Kettering City Council, because  there are several project options to consider, to maximize the public input on the future investment in the Ridgeway Road bridge.

The typical input opportunity for city projects is a public meeting.  We recognized that because our residents have hectic schedules and competing demands on their time, not everyone who is interested in the future of the Ridgeway Road bridge would be able to make it to such a meeting or to a City Council meeting where we might hold a public hearing.    Instead, we hosted a "virtual public meeting" with the following outreach efforts to engage as many residents as possible in the process.

  • Produced video which presented all of the information and options for the project.
  • Created a survey to provide a quick and convenient way for all interested parties to offer feedback after reviewing the video.
  • Mailed letters to the homes of the 1,000 residents living closest to the bridge since the project will have the most impact on their daily lives.
  • Placed the video and link to the survey on our website and social media platforms for a month to allow everyone time to participate.

We are very pleased with the level of public engagement accomplished through this method.  We know that there are many residents with strong opinions about the future of the Ridgeway Road bridge.  We assure you that your opinions were captured in the survey.

For more information about the Ridgeway Road Bridge project, please take a moment to watch this brief informative video. (Video from the 2017 Survey Process).

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