The Big Ditch Improvement Project involves improving the roadside drainage ditch along the west side of Stadium Road from Seaman Road to Bay Shore Road to increase safety by eliminating the eroding ditch banks along the roadside and to improve the overall drainage system.  Please note, property owners will not be assessed for this improvement project.  The City has been awarded $319,200 in grant funding and $478,000.00 in low interest loan funding through the Ohio Public Works Commission Program for the project.

The improvements will include the replacement of the ditch and undersized culverts with a large storm sewer, catch basins, and shallow grass-lined swales.  At the downstream end of the project, near South Shore Veterans Park, and in areas along open farmland, the improvement will include enhancing the existing ditch by widening and relocating the ditch further away from the roadway to restore the ditch to a more natural stream channel. 

Construction work in South Shore Veterans Park began in mid-July 2010, which included a new outfall to Lake Erie, new stream channels, stream crossing culverts (to maintain park access and walking paths), landscape mounding, relocation of walking path and extensive landscaping with native plantings and trees.  A conservation easement has been established and is being held by the Black Swamp Conservancy for all stream sections of the project. 

The contractor will maintain one lane of traffic throughout the project limits.  However, sections of the roadway may need to be closed to through traffic due to the nature of the project and the tight working conditions for the contractor.  We ask that you avoid driving through the construction work zone area as much as possible.  The project will require the necessity for several full road closures to allow for the installation of the new storm culvert across the roadway.  Separate road closure notices will be provided prior to the full road closures. 

Access to driveways during the project will be available at all times except while the construction operation is in front of the drive.  Emergency access to drives will be available at all times.

The contractor for the Big Ditch Improvement Project is Hank's Plumbing & Heating Co., 2000 The Bluffs, Toledo, Ohio 43615 and the wetland mitigation work will be performed by the Davey Resource Group, 1500 North Mantua, Kent, Ohio 44240.  At the pre-construction meeting for this project, they were told to insure minimal inconvenience and adverse construction conditions during this project.  The construction work on the project will begin at Bay Shore Road at the outlet to Maumee Bay and progress southward along Stadium Road ending at Seaman Road.  The current completion date for the project is August 2011. 

The City of Oregon has hired Quality Control Inspection, Inc. (QCI), 40 Tarbell Avenue, Bedford, Ohio 44146 to provide a full time project representative/inspector on the job.  The project representative will be available on site to address any concerns you may have during construction.
 
The contractor is to notify property owners in advance of any work that will affect access to the property or site utilities.  The contractor has submitted a tentative work schedule, however, due to the large scale of the project, weather impacts, and project conditions during construction, the contractor’s work schedule may change.  Please note, the contractor has indicated that final grading and seeding for the project will not be completed until all testing has been completed on the storm sewer. 

For any questions or concerns regarding the overall project, please contact the Department of Public Service at (419) 698-7047.  Construction plans and specifications for the project are available for review at the City of Oregon Municipal Complex at the Department of Public Service Office.