News
Officials Break Ground On Meigs Co. Rest Area
By: Jenn Halliday
Posted on:
Rest areas in Meigs County are getting an upgrade as public officials broke ground on one project Tuesday morning. Dozens of representatives and residents attended to congratulate and thank officials for "finally" getting the job started.
"I can't express enough how excited we are to finally see this underway… we’re anxious," says Meigs County Commissioner Tim Ihle.
Construction at the site off U.S. 33 is scheduled to begin this week. No facility closures are expected until after Labor Day.
"It's about time that we stop worrying about how fast the roads are and start thinking about how clean our rest stops are," says Meigs County Commissioner Tom Anderson.
The rest areas on both sides of U.S. 33 were built in the 1960s and have not been upgraded since 1987. Ohio Department of Transportation District 10 Deputy Director T. Steve Williams says the project's goal is to modernize these outdated facilities.
"The main purpose of this project is to provide flush toilets and running water to these facilities," says Williams.
The project will cost an estimated $440,000 and will be completed before Thanksgiving. Williams says funding for the project was "difficult" and state officials are showing their gratitude.
"I feel that Meigs County is very lucky, and I am very happy to be a part of it," says Marilyn Ashcraft, a representative for Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor.
A total of 44 rest areas in the state were scheduled for upgrades beginning in November 2010, including one along U.S. 50 in Athens County, two along U.S. 33 in Hocking County and the one along Ohio 7 in Gallia County.