Piper Files Petitions for Re-Election, 11-28-11

Timothy J. Piper, P.E., P.S., filed his petitions today for re-election to the office of Allen County Engineer for the term beginning January, 2013.  Piper was appointed as Allen County Engineer in September of 2005, was elected to a two-year unexpired term in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008 to a full term of office that ends in 2012.

Looking at the accomplishments of the Allen County Engineer’s office for the past six years, Piper noted some major projects that were completed.  The 3-1/2 mile stretch of Eastown Road, Phases 1 through 4, was rebuilt at a total cost of $15 million dollars of which 81 % ($12 million) was paid for by federal and state grants.  A $1 million dollar Ohio Department of Development grant paid for rebuilding 1-1/4 miles of Thayer Road to accommodate the Procter and Gamble Transfer Center truck traffic.  The Metcalf Street Truss Bridge in Lima was rehabilitated at a cost of $2.5 million dollars with a 95% federal grant.  Major ditch projects such as the Flat Fork Creek, Pike Run and Lost Creek were cleaned to improve drainage in various communities in Allen County. Other accomplishments include:

• Twenty-six ditch projects involving 39 miles of ditches were cleaned from 2006 to 2011.
• County and contractor’s road crews have paved 136 miles and sealed 272 miles of county and township roads in the past six years.
• 20 bridges and culverts were replaced or rehabilitated on county and township roads since 2005.
• The Tax Map Office has computerized the tax maps, created all road maps and provided deed reviews.

Click here for the full story.

Bliss, Bowsher and Osman Bridges Reopened, 11-23-11

The Allen County Engineer’s Office has replaced and reopened three (3) closed bridges in the county this year.  All three (3) of these bridges were steel trusses and had been closed to traffic due to safety concerns with the deteriorating structures.  In order to cover the costs of the replacements, the Allen County Engineer utilized both Federal and State Issue One (1) funds to fund these projects.  Click here for the full story.

Winter Safety Week, 11-10-11

This week is Ohio Winter Safety Awareness Week (November 13th – 19th). The Allen County Engineer’s road crews will soon be preparing for winter weather. The Allen County Engineer sends out 17 trucks with snowplows and salt spreaders every time there is a significant snowfall. The twelve townships in Allen County also send out an additional 16 trucks with plows for a combined total of 33 trucks. Combined, the county and 12 township crews plow 1734 lane miles of roadway, which is the distance from Lima, Ohio to Salt Lake City, Utah; and on a normal snowstorm, the roads are plowed out within five hours. We ask that travelers stay back from snowplow trucks, especially at intersections. Snowplows need to back up at intersections to clear snow and often cannot see cars that pull up behind them. Pleases stay at least two car-lengths behind snowplow trucks at all times. Click here for the full story.

Click Here for Shawnee Road Corridor Information

 

Links:
	Current Weather Radar		Current Road Conditions
	National Weather Service Warnings		Current Snow Emergency Level
Snowplow Safety
Click here to learn more about the use of salt as a deicer.

 

Allen County Mailbox Replacement Policy

The Allen County Engineer's Policy regarding the replacement of mailboxes and/or mailbox supports damaged due to snowplow operations is as follows:

If the snowplow actually hits the mailbox and the mailbox is installed according to Allen County Standards, it will be replaced with a standard metal mailbox and wooden post.  Mailboxes that are damaged due to snow, ice and/or slush hitting them during plowing operations will not be replaced.  If the mailbox is not installed according to Allen County Standards, it will not be replaced.  Plastic mailboxes become very brittle in the winter and usually will not survive being hit by snow, ice and/or slush from snowplows. This office does not recommend the use of plastic mailboxes and/or supports. For mailbox material and placement details, click on the following links:

• MAIL-1: Mailbox Standards
• MAIL-2: Mailbox Detail