Lorain County construction: SR-83, SR-303 intersections to close for double roundabout

GRAFTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WOIO) - Grafton Township’s SR-83 and SR-303 intersections will be closed for about 90 days to construct a double roundabout starting March 13.

These will be two single-lane roundabouts located on each side of the railroad bridge - at the east and west legs of the SR-83 and SR-303 intersection, ODOT said.

ODOT shared these detour routes:

• SR-83 detour: SR-83 north to SR-18, west on SR-18 to SR-301, north on SR-301 to U.S. 20, east on U.S. 20 to SR-57, south on SR-57 to SR-82, east on SR-82 to SR-83, and reverse for southbound motorists on SR-83.
• SR-57 detour: SR-57 north to SR-18, west on SR-18 to SR-301, north on SR-301 to U.S. 20, east on U.S. 20 to SR-57, and reverse for southbound motorists on SR-57.
• SR-303 detour: SR-303 east to SR-301, north on SR-301 to U.S. 20, east on U.S. 20 to SR-57, south on SR-57 to SR-82, east on SR-82 to SR-252, south on SR-252 to SR-303, and reverse for westbound motorists on SR-303.

All emergency vehicles and residential driveways within the project limits will still have access within the project limits during construction.

Work on this project started in December 2022, and is estimated to be complete in June 2023, according to ODOT.

The cost of the project construction is approximately $4 million, ODOT said.

ODOT shared the folllowing statement on the project:

“The purpose of the project is to provide a safer traveling environment by reducing the number of conflict points at both the SR 83 and SR 303 intersections, and to reduce vehicle delay.

The intersection was prioritized for safety improvements after Governor DeWine directed ODOT to identify the 150 most dangerous intersections in Ohio. These two intersections have experienced high crash rates and have also appeared on the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Highway Safety Program. This intersection was ranked #69 on ODOT’s 2014 Rural Intersection List and ranked #28 in 2018. From 2013-2022, there were 58 crashes including: 1 fatal crash, 20 injury crashes, and 37 property damage only crashes.

Some of the safety measures that have been taken to date include: restriping the westbound approach of SR 303 to move the westbound lane further north to improve sight distance to the south (1999), adding dual stop signs and stop ahead signs on the eastbound and westbound approaches of SR 303 (2012), adding dual intersection ahead signs and 45 mph advisory speed signs on SR 83 approaches to SR 303 (2013), and the clearing of brush along the SR 83 right-of-way (2016).”

Digioia-Suburban Excavating LLC is serving as the project’s main contractor.

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