New Philadelphia, Ohio (Friday, July 23, 2010) – Work will begin Monday, July 26th, to chip seal almost three miles of State Route 800 in Harrison County as part of a $355,988 transportation investment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Work will take place between the junction of U.S. 22 and the village of Freeport's south corporation line. Traffic will be maintained with flaggers.

Chip sealing is a common pavement maintenance practice that extends pavement life and provides a good driving surface.

Also part of this project was work completed this week on over six miles State Route 379 in Belmont County.

ODOT's contractor for this project is Specialized Construction Inc., from Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio, and the completion date is August 31, 2010.

As of July 1st, ODOT and its local partners had awarded contracts on more than 381 stimulus-funded transportation construction projects worth more than $871 million. So far, 88 of those stimulus projects have been completed on Ohio's roadways and bridges, providing safer travel for Ohio's citizens and businesses.

Since the start of the Recovery Act, thousands of construction workers on stimulus-funded transportation projects in Ohio have earned more than $41.5 million in paychecks. During this summer, ODOT expects to pay out more than $40 million in additional paychecks to laborers and workers on stimulus-funded construction projects across the state.

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Becky Giauque \Jee-awg\, Public Information Officer, at (330) 308-3949

or email D11.PIO@dot.state.oh.us