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Old Mine Proves Problematic
< < Back to old-mine-proves-problematicOne day last summer a driver felt something unsettling while cruising along Route 33.
Andy Moreland, however, is not a typical driver. Moreland, an experienced engineer for the Ohio Department of Transportation, urged the department to take a deeper look. After assessment, ODOT confirmed an old mine sits below the mile long stretch of Route 33.
The void in the ground caused the road to sag. After construction on the Nelsonville Bypass last summer, many local buisnesses and residents would be inconvienced once again with a road closure. ODOT Public Information Officer, David Rose shows no concern.
"We are being very proactive in that we found something last year, and we are going to fix it." Rose stated. "We are not going to close any roads. There might be a lane restriction but Route 33 is a major corridor for folks in Southeastern Ohio so we are going to keep it open."
The Ohio Department of Transportation's main concern lay with safety.
"Obviously there is no potential impact were there could be a sink hole or anything like that." Rose reassured.
After Moreland found the sag, ODOT kept an eye on the situation and quickly sought out the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. ODNR provided maps of the area. Finding a void was not surprising with the area's rich history in coal mining.