Fighting the Detour!

Hocking Valley Canoe Livery ~ Lew Barbini, Owner
31251 Chieftan Drive ~ Logan, OH 43138 1-800-686-0386 ~ 740-385-8685


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To: Editor
Logan Daily News
P.O. Box 758
Logan, OH 43138

Subject: Chieftan Drive bridge construction and detour

To The Editor:
In Ohio there are only really three seasons: Pot Hole Season, Mud Season and Road Construction Season. It is Road Construction Season that has the most impact this time of year; Road Construction Season being that interminable length of time, stretching from late Spring, through Summer and Fall, and sometimes into early Winter.
Throughout Pot Hole Season and Mud Season we anxiously anticipate the arrival of repair crews so that we’re relieved of the suspension-jarring, tire-flattening and simply annoying cracks, fissures and pot holes of the previous two seasons. Yet, when the crews arrive, we fast become impatient with the noise, traffic delays and ill-conceived detours and road closures. It is the latter that is creating a major problem in Hocking County at this time.
The replacement of the bridge over the Hocking River at Chieftan Drive has resulted in a road closure with no logical detour being offered despite the fact that one is readily available. Instead of the logical and easy detour across Enterprise-Iles Road, the County Engineer has chosen a detour that directs drivers east on 33 and north on 664 through the worst traffic bottleneck in the county. Not only is this a detour devoid of common sense, it is dangerous. At times throughout the Memorial Day weekend, eastbound traffic from 33 trying to take the ramp onto 664 was so backed up that drivers had to pull over into the berm. This takes The County Engineer’s decision from illogical to outright dangerous and leads me to ponder several conclusions: our engineer is no longer fit for the job, lacking the faculties of common sense and safety required to make a sound professional opinion, and/or he harbors such resentment against businesses along Chieftan Drive that his sound judgment is rendered incompetent.
The current bridge replacement project has been in the works for many years, but preceding this project was another bridge replacement – that of the bridge over the Hocking River on Enterprise-Iles Road. It was the impression of many members of our community that part of the justification for the $375,000 expense was the preparation for the current larger bridge replacement project on Chieftan Drive. It appears that was not the case because despite the fact that there is no road construction activity on Enterprise-Iles Road, it has been closed to the public for the endurance of the current project on Chieftan Drive – another example of the County Engineer’s lack of sound judgment and outright vindictive nature, not to mention a grotesque waste of the taxpayers money! By closing Enterprise-Iles Road to the public, that $375,000 bridge has become private access, paid for by the public, at the cost of $10,000 per Enterprise-Iles household!
The County Engineer’s public excuse for not routing drivers onto Enterprise-Iles Road has something to do with speeding traffic, liability involved by utilizing speed bumps to slow down that traffic and Enterprise residents allowing children to play in the street.
My answers to those arguments are:
1. Use the officers who are currently harassing drivers who attempt to use Enterprise-Iles Road to monitor speeders instead.
2. A lawyer can call anything a liability of you want him to.
3. It’s a little condescending to believe that residents along Enterprise-Iles Road cannot keep their children out of the road. I’m confident that they are up to the task.
One could argue that someone is always going to be inconvenienced during road construction, and that is true. But the inconveniences must be weighed using facts and sound logic. The facts in relation to the current detour are this:
1. This detour further contributes to an already congested and dangerous bottleneck on 664 in front of Walmart.
2. There is no sign at 664 and Chieftan Drive directing folks back onto Chieftan Drive, creating confusion for drivers from out-of-town.
3. It is tourist season. One business affected by this closure is 100% dependent upon tourism for its’ income – the Hocking Valley Canoe Livery. The detour not only directs traffic away from this business, but redirects that traffic directly past their competitor. Tourism also increases revenue for other businesses on Chieftan Drive as well.
4. This business is being pro-active by changing signage and issuing directions to every customer through telephone and email contact. It is not enough – some people are still angry or confused. Some drive directly to the competition by accident, others choose alternative activities.
5. Hocking County has a 13% unemployment rate. The Hocking Valley Canoe Livery hires 15-20 seasonal employees, providing temporary relief to their households four to five months out of the year. Many of those employees are adults that have families to feed and bills to pay.
Nationwide, the unemployment rate among teenagers who want to work is 75% because they simply cannot find jobs. This business provides employment to high school and college students as well, allowing some relief to their parents’ stretched budgets and making it possible for students to help pay for their own college expenses.
6. The Hocking Valley Canoe Livery has already suffered a measurable slow-down from the road closure. Should this continue, employees will face reduced hours or be let-go altogether.
7. The Hocking Valley Canoe Livery pumps tax dollars into the local community and their customers spend money in local businesses. With the county suffering cuts due to decreased tax dollars, do they really want to throw away any amount of tax revenue?
8. Traffic on Enterprise-Iles Road can be controlled; it is not the first time traffic from a county road has been detoured onto another county road – this is not a major feat.
9. Parents and caregivers can be relied upon to be extra vigilant and keep their children out of the streets.

The Hocking Valley Canoe Livery does feel targeted in this action – our entire income is generated solely within the projected five-month period of the bridge replacement project and will suffer more than any other business as a result. We know that even if the logical detour onto Enterprise-Iles Road is made, that there will still be some inconvenience because at some point in the bridge replacement process, traffic on the river itself will be closed. This is a costly but wholly unavoidable inconvenience and I accept that. But what is not acceptable is the total absence of logic expressed by the current detour and the County’s refusal to abide by the Ohio Revised Code 5543.17, which is very clear about these situations:

“The engineer shall, whenever practicable, so prepare the plans and specifications for an improvement as to avoid closing to traffic at any one time the entire width of the highway or bridge being improved.”

O.R.C. 5543.17 further discusses how the engineer must proceed, regarding closures, detours and signage, and includes the instruction that his determination must be made in writing and filed with the board of county commissioners. If the County Engineer did follow the Ohio Revised Code, then the Hocking County Commissioners are also complicit in the illogical decision to completely close the bridge on Chieftan Drive, close Enterprise-Iles Road to the public and detour traffic onto 33 and 664.
Upon reading O.R.C. 5543.17 one thing becomes very clear: the spirit of the code indicates that the construction should be accomplished with as little disturbance to traffic as possible.
Using Enterprise-Iles Road for the detour is the most physically practicable, cost-effective and safe option in this situation and should be used for the duration of the Chieftan Drive bridge replacement project, not only for the benefit of my business, but for the safety of everyone who travels Chieftan Drive, 664 and route 33.


Sincerely Yours,