WestChesterBuzz.com

In order to replace a large culvert under the roadway, a portion of U.S. 42 in West Chester Township will be closed beginning Feb. 18. The work is scheduled to take 14 days, but could be completed sooner, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The closure will take place near the 8700 block of U.S. Route 42, between Butler-Warren and Cox roads. Access to all businesses and properties will be maintained throughout the closure.

An approved detour route will be posted that directs traffic north on Cox Road, east on Tylersville Road and southwest on U.S. Route 42. The route is reversed for those headed southwest on U.S. Route 42. The detour is an additional 1.29 miles.

The closure is part of ODOT’s $9.1 million project, which includes the widening of U.S. Route 42 to three lanes providing a through lane in each direction and a middle two-way left-turn lane from Fields-Ertel Road north to Butler-Warren Road.

The project, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2012, also includes the addition of left turn lanes on both approaches of Dimmick Road

The upcoming closure has presented challenges for businesses in the corridor, according to a press release from West Chester Township. However, the township does not have direct control over the construction process and will continue to work closely with ODOT.

Posted in: News, Traffic |

Tags: Tags: Cox Road, Cox Road West Chester, Tylersville Road, Tylersville Road West Chester, U.S. 42, U.S. 42 project, U.S. 42 West Chester, West Chester Traffic, West Chester traffic delays

Work on two light towers Wednesday will require lane closures on southbound Interstate 75, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The first job, which will involve crews erecting a light tower, will take place between Hamilton-Mason Road and Tylersville Road (mile marker 23) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. During the job, the left lane will be closed.

That night, while workers repair a different light tower, the right lane just before the ramp to Galbraith Road (mile marker 11) will be closed from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Law enforcement officers will be used for traffic control during each closure. Lighting contractor American Lighting & Signalization will be performing the work.

Arrow boards and signs will be in place prior to the work zone to alert motorists of the upcoming road closure.

To help ensure the safety of the construction workers as well as the traveling public, motorists should remain alert, reduce their speed and watch for stopped traffic while passing through the work zone.

For additional information on lane and road closures caused by construction, accidents or other related traffic events, visit www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.

U.S. 42 closure: Culvert replacement will require closing U.S. 42 between Cox Road and Tylersville Road from Feb. 18 to March 2, according to ODOT. The closure will be approximately 475 feet north of Manors Drive.

The posted detour for northbound U.S. 42 traffic will be north (left) on Cox Road to east (right) on Tylersville Road, back to U.S. 42. The detour for southbound U.S. 42 traffic will be the same in reverse. The detour is an additional 1.29 miles.

Posted in: News |

Tags: Tags: Cox Road, Cox Road West Chester, I-75, I-75 construction, I-75 lane closures, I-75 work, Interstate 75, Ohio Department of Transportation, Tylersville Road, Tylersville Road at I-75, Tylersville Road West Chester, U.S. 42, U.S. 42 project, U.S. 42 West Chester, West Chester Traffic, West Chester traffic delays

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday morning. (Stories are listed in order of date)

Lakota preschool program could be merged: During last Monday’s school board meeting, Lakota officials discussed merging its preschool program with county programs. The proposed joint venture with Butler County Educational Service Center (ESC) would save about $1.2 million of the target $9 million in savings Lakota officials have said is needed for next school year. The merger would affect 288 preschool students and would eliminate 17 classroom jobs for the 2012-2013 school year.

AK Steel executive to retire: Last Monday, West Chester based AK Steel announced that its long-time spokesman Alan H. McCoy, vice president, government and public relations, has elected to retire effective January 31. McCoy was named general manager, public relations for AK Steel in 1994. He is currently a director of the Ohio Steel Council and also serves as a trustee of Ursuline Academy.

West Chester’s IKEA activates solar energy system: The IKEA in West Chester is now powering its lights, operating its cash registers and cooking its Swedish meatballs using a solar energy system that is located on the store’s rooftop. Heather Spatz, West Chester’s IKEA store manager, officially announced the activation of the solar energy system last Tuesday. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of clean electricity produced by 4,186 solar panels atop the IKEA building is equivalent to eliminating the yearly emissions of 180 passenger cars.

Road projects to affect Cincinnati-Dayton Road, Ohio 129 and U.S. 42: Last Tuesday, The Butler County Engineer’s Office announced that it is planning to improve Cincinnati-Dayton Road at the Ohio 129 interchange in Liberty Township. The project, which is slated for construction in 2014, is currently in the preliminary engineering phase with environmental studies and early design plans under way. The $2.5 million project is geared to improving traffic safety and flow in the area. Meanwhile, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced last Tuesday that culvert replacement will require closing U.S. 42 between Cox Road and Tylersville Road from Feb. 18 to March 2.

Lakota West falls to Fairfield in battle for 2nd in GMC: After handing Middletown its first conference loss Jan. 20, Lakota West hosted Fairfield last Tuesday in a basketball game between two programs tied for second place in the Greater Miami Conference. The Firebirds jumped out to an early lead, but fell behind and eventually lost 70-59. Lakota West did rebound with a win last Friday when it defeated Colerain by the score 77-71 in overtime. The Firebirds are currently in a three-way tie for third in the GMC.

West Chester cop David Busemeyer pleads guilty to felonies, quits job: A police officer pleaded guilty to two felony charges, then resigned from his job last Wednesday. David Busemeyer, who was accused of alerting a drug dealer to an undercover bust, admitted to attempted tampering with evidence and obstructing official business. In exchange for his plea in Butler County Common Pleas Court, a charge of obstructing justice was dismissed. Busemeyer also was accused of revealing the identity of a confidential informant in the case. After the plea, Busemeyer tendered his resignation from the job he had held since August 2002. He faces a maximum prison term of two and a half years, but could be granted probation at sentencing March 8.

Two killed in West Chester crash: Police found two people dead Saturday morning in a car that crashed into two parked semi tractor-trailers at a distribution warehouse at 9842 International Blvd. Police determined that the victims were traveling northbound on International Boulevard in a Honda Civic when it veered off the road, passed through a parking lot, hit two trees, encountered a berm and became airborne. When the car landed, it went under one tractor-trailer, sheering off the car’s top. The car then became wedged under a second tractor-trailer. The names of the victims have not been released.

Posted in: Board of Education, Crime, Levy news, News, Schools, Sports, Traffic, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: AK Steel, AK Steel West Chester, Alan H. McCoy, Alan McCoy, Barbara Wilson, Butler County Engineer’s Office, Cincinnati-Dayton Road, Cincinnati-Dayton Road Liberty Township, Cox Road, Cox Road West Chester, David Busemeyer, IKEA, IKEA Cincinnati, IKEA photos, IKEA solar photos, IKEA solar power, IKEA solar power Cincinnati, IKEA solar power West Chester, IKEA West Chester, Lakota, Lakota cuts, Lakota Local Schools, Lakota preschool, Lakota preschool program, Lakota reductions, Lakota school levy, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Last week in West Chester, Liberty Township construction, Ohio 129, Ohio 129 Liberty Township, Tylersville Road, Tylersville Road West Chester, U.S. 42, U.S. 42 project, U.S. 42 West Chester, West Chester accident, West Chester Police Officer David Busemeyer, West Chester Traffic, West Chester traffic delays

Culvert replacement will require closing U.S. 42 between Cox Road and Tylersville Road from Feb. 18 to March 2, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The closure will be approximately 475 feet north of Manors Drive.

The posted detour for northbound U.S. 42 traffic will be north (left) on Cox Road to east (right) on Tylersville Road, back to U.S. 42. The detour for southbound U.S. 42 traffic will be the same in reverse. The detour is an additional 1.29 miles.

Arrow boards and signs will be in place prior to the work zone to alert motorists of the upcoming road closure.

To help ensure the safety of the construction workers as well as the traveling public, motorists should remain alert, reduce their speed and watch for stopped traffic while passing through the work zone.

For additional information on lane and road closures caused by construction, accidents or other related traffic events, visit www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.

Posted in: News, Traffic |

Tags: Tags: Cox Road, Cox Road West Chester, Tylersville Road, Tylersville Road West Chester, U.S. 42, U.S. 42 project, U.S. 42 West Chester, West Chester Traffic, West Chester traffic delays

Signal installation will require lane closures on U.S. 42 and Cox Road from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 14, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Traffic will be maintained with flagging operations.

To help ensure the safety of the construction workers as well as the traveling public, motorists should remain alert, reduce their speed and watch for stopped traffic while passing through the work zone.

For additional information on lane and road closures caused by construction, accidents or other related traffic events, please visit www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.

Posted in: News |

Tags: Tags: closures, construction, Cox Road, delays, lane closures, Ohio Department of Transportation, signal work, traffic, U.S. 42

Signal work will take place this Wednesday, June 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 42 and Cox Road, according to Ohio Department of Transportation. During this work, flagging operations will maintain traffic.

Meanwhile, there will also be pavement work on Interstate 75 Monday and Tuesday, June 27 and 28. The project, which will take place north of State Route 129, will cause various lane closures.

One lane will be closed at 5 p.m. with a second lane closing at 7 p.m. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained and all lanes should be open to traffic by 6 a.m. the following day.

Signs will be in place prior to the work zone to alert motorists of the upcoming lane closures and signal work.

To help ensure the safety of the construction workers as well as the traveling public, motorists should remain alert, reduce their speed and watch for stopped traffic while passing through the work zone.

For additional information on lane and road closures caused by construction, accidents or other related traffic events, please visit www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.

Posted in: News |

Tags: Tags: construction, Cox Road, delays, I-75, lane closures, Ohio Department of Transportation, paving, signal work, State Route 129, traffic, U.S. 42