By Amy Eddings
The Klingler Road construction project, once deeply delayed because of spring rains, is now on track to open at the end of the month.
Ada’s village administrator said he expects the road to re-open to traffic on Friday, Aug. 28, two weeks before the contracted completion date of Sept. 11.
“A month ago, we were a month behind,” said Village Administrator Jim Meyer. He said crews have been working “five tens” — five days a week, 10 hours a day — to catch up.
“I think we’ll make the 28th. Everything’s really worked out." Klingler Road is a critical north-south artery that provides access to Ohio Northern University’s west campus, including the school’s athletic fields and Dial-Roberson Stadium, where football and soccer games are held.
“The harvest hasn’t started, but it will be opened up for farmers, for the school, for the athletes,” said Meyer. "Everyone will be happy."
“I think it’s pretty important for us to have it open, with all the athletic events that are going on out there,” said Mark Staley, Ohio Northern University’s Director of Facilities.
He said athletic teams moved in last weekend. The women’s soccer team holds its home opener on Sept. 1 against Kenyon, while the men’s home opener follows the next week, on Sept. 9, against Wittenberg.
The first ONU football game at home is on Sept. 12. Staley said he hoped the Klingler Road approaches to the campus would be open for the start of the fall semester on Aug. 24, but Meyer said that could complicate paving efforts for the rest of the road.
The project, intended to improve curbing, sidewalks and storm water drainage along Klingler Road, encompasses nearly half a mile of the road, from Lima Avenue north to West Lincoln Avenue.
Andy James with Beaverdam Contracting, which is overseeing the project, also expressed confidence that Klingler Road would be finished by Aug. 28.
“Obviously, the weather’s got to play along.” He said the forecast is for a 50 to 60 percent chance of rain Monday night through Friday.
“We can handle a little bit, but obviously, we don’t need anything like we’ve had in the past in Ada." Record rains during the spring caused extensive flooding throughout Ada, especially along ONU’s western perimeter and is the very problem that the Klingler Road improvements are intended to address.
James said he had originally thought that the project would be done in July.
“Obviously, the weather took over,” he said. James said concrete curbs were poured last week. He said crews are finishing laying the road’s foundation and will begin paving Wednesday or Thursday.
He said there are some sidewalks yet to build, too. Asked how they were able to make up for the lost time, James said it was “a lot of overtime.”
