The Ohio Department of Transportation is actively soliciting feedback from local residents, commuters, and community stakeholders regarding a series of culvert maintenance and drainage replacement projects scheduled to take place across Stark County in 2027. The proposed work forms a central component of the state transportation agency’s continuous infrastructure preservation program, designed to reinforce road safety, upgrade aging drainage assets, and ensure long-term structural resilience throughout regional travel corridors.
According to department officials, replacing these vital drainage structures is necessary to manage stormwater runoff effectively, reduce localized roadway flooding, and protect the foundational integrity of state routes. While infrastructure upgrades of this scale inevitably necessitate temporary traffic modifications, ODOT emphasized that careful scheduling and phased implementation will be utilized to prevent prolonged disruptions across the regional transportation network.
The agency has projected the total construction cost for the multi-site undertaking at approximately $754,200. Under the current schedule, all on-site construction activities are slated to commence and reach completion during the summer of 2027, taking advantage of favorable seasonal weather conditions to minimize construction delays and streamline contractor operations.
Work will be concentrated at multiple key locations within Marlboro, Nimishillen, and Perry townships. Transportation planners have structured specific traffic management plans tailored to each site, balancing necessary construction zone safety with the mobility needs of daily commuters, emergency services, and local agricultural transport.
One of the primary work zones is situated along State Route 619, also known locally as Edison Street, in Marlboro Township just east of State Route 44. To accommodate deep excavations and structural drainage replacements at this location, two separate 14-day full road closures will be implemented during the construction timeline.
The first 14-day closure on State Route 619 will be enforced on the segment between Osborne Avenue and Marlboro Avenue NE. A second 14-day closure will impact the stretch of State Route 619 spanning between Reeder Avenue and Lair Road. These closures will restrict through traffic while crews remove deteriorated drainage pipes and install updated, high-capacity culvert systems beneath the roadway.
To guide motorists around the active construction areas on State Route 619, ODOT has designated an official detour route. Through traffic traveling in the area will be rerouted using State Route 44, State Street (State Route 173), State Route 225, and State Route 183, providing commercial freight and passenger vehicles with safe alternative thoroughfares.
A second major project location is planned for State Street (State Route 173) along the border dividing Marlboro and Nimishillen townships, situated east of State Route 44. Similar to the Edison Street work zone, crews will replace essential drainage infrastructure beneath the roadway to sustain long-term pavement stability and proper watershed runoff.
This section of State Route 173 will require a 14-day road closure between State Route 44 and Paris Avenue. Motorists who rely on this route for regional connectivity will be directed onto a detour utilizing State Route 44 and Route 62 to bypass the closed segment of roadway safely.
In Perry Township, maintenance crews will focus on State Route 627, known as Richville Drive, within the northeast quadrant of its intersection with Navarre Road SW. Unlike the full closures planned in Marlboro and Nimishillen townships, this location will undergo seven-day lane restrictions on State Route 627, alongside a complete temporary closure of Township Road 2148.
Transportation officials noted that through traffic on State Route 627 will be maintained throughout the seven-day period, preventing extensive regional rerouting. Local access for residents living along Township Road 2148 and adjacent corridors will remain available throughout the duration of the work.
ODOT has explicitly mandated that access to all adjacent properties, residential driveways, and connecting side streets must be maintained at every project location during active operations. Although temporary detours and brief travel delays will occur, the agency does not anticipate substantial, long-term traffic disruptions resulting from the summer 2027 program.
From an environmental standpoint, comprehensive preliminary assessments indicate that the proposed drainage improvements will not generate substantial negative impacts on local environmental resources, natural waterways, or surrounding habitats. However, state planners emphasize that feedback regarding environmental effects, community impacts, and local traffic conditions remains a crucial part of the final planning phase.
Public participation is being encouraged so that community members can review the proposed closures, ask questions, and share relevant local knowledge before construction plans are finalized. The formal public comment window is open through September 23.
Residents wishing to submit comments, express concerns, or request additional project details can contact Brian Peck, Environmental Specialist at Ohio Department of Transportation District 4. Communications may be directed by mail to 2088 S. Arlington Road, Akron, OH, 44306, by phone at 330-786-4931, or by email at Brian.Peck@dot.ohio.gov. Additional project records and interactive documentation are also accessible online through the official state portal at Transportation.ohio.gov/travel/projects/114219.
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