After a three-year delay, construction crews have begun clearing land and moving dirt on the $158 million Akron, Ohio, SR 8 bridge replacement project.

“Project design was essentially complete when statewide funding priorities changed due to the pandemic-related economic shortfalls,” said Ramon Marsch, spokesman of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). “This project was initially scheduled to go out to bid in 2020 but was pushed back. The bridge was fine. There were no safety issues, so we were able to push it back safely.”

The contract was awarded to The Ruhlin Company/Great Lakes SR 8 Joint Venture Project in the spring of 2023 with work getting under way in August.