The Athens County Engineer’s Office applied for and received a $399,526 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) in the fall of 2014. This project involved motor paving CR 28 McDougal Road from SR 550 to CR 93 in the Village of Millfield (4.8 miles), and CR 32 Congress Run Rd from SR 78 to the Village of Trimble near Loudermilk Rd (1.7 miles) for a total of 6.5 miles. The estimated cost for the paving is $539,900.

Motor paving is a cold mix asphalt process where #57 limestone is dumped into a paver, where it is mixed with emulsion, then applied to the road at a thickness of about 2.5 inches. The asphalt is then compacted with a roller. After sufficient curing time, the road is chip sealed with #8 limestone to seal the surface. There are several benefits to this process, including:

• Flexible paving system specifically designed for low volume roads
• Can be applied to roads which have a marginal base, due to the material’s flexibility
• More durable than conventional hot mix on low volume roads
• Can be open to traffic as soon as material is compacted
• Motor paving is approximately half the cost of conventional hot mix paving

In the spring of 2015, we will be applying for additional money from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) through the Athens County TID. If we are successful on receiving additional grant funds, three small bridges with load limits will be replaced on CR 28, as well as the dilapidated culverts along both roads.