(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
ROAD WORK AHEAD … Crews begin work on South Munson Road in Swanton. The project is responsible for one of several current road closures in the village.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Summer road work and emergency repairs are redirecting traffic throughout the Swanton area as road closures divert drivers.
Among the most recent closures area Main Street north of the railroad tracks including its intersections with Zeiter and Dodge Street, and the full length of Munson Road from Airport Highway to Dodge Street.
The Main Street closure is to allow for emergency repair of a failing sewer main which has caused a depression in the road which could turn into a sinkhole if it were to degrade further.
The site has been under continuous monitoring since the issue was discovered, and the Swanton Village Council approved a contract last month with Klumm Brothers to complete the repairs.
The cost and full extent of the work were not known at that time, and the closure is expected to last no longer than two to three weeks.
During the closure, the intersections with Church and Cherry Streets to the north and Chestnut Street to the south are open for detouring.
The Munson Road improvement project has shut down that road to through traffic both for work and for staging of all construction equipment, as there is no secondary staging site. It includes road repairs and extension of sewer service along part of the road.
According to past comments by Village Administrator Shannon Shulters to the council, the Fulton County Health Department is mandating any homes within 200 feet of the new sewer system connect to it and have their septic system filled in or removed at their own cost.
During the same meeting, Mayor Neil Toeppe said the project was initiated due to residents approaching the village several years ago to request the road be repaired.
Shulters said in a new press release about ongoing road closures in the village that the work was originally planned for last year but was delayed due to ongoing closures at and around the intersection of Airport Highway and Main Street at the time.
“We understand the inconvenience that construction can cause, and we thank residents for their continued patience and cooperation. While these projects may seem sudden, they’ve been in the works for years,” Shulters wrote. “We’re committed to investing in infrastructure that will benefit the Village of Swanton for generations to come.”
Shulters said many of the projects, both ongoing and upcoming, have been in the approval and planning phases since before 2022, including several funded through the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The ODOT-funded projects “require extensive planning, including engineering design, environmental reviews, funding applications, and multi-agency approvals before work can begin,” she wrote.
UPCOMING CLOSURES
More closures are coming in the fall and next year as the village continues to address road and traffic issues in the village.
The next major closure will occur at the intersection of Airport Highway and South Main Street, which was previously restricted for an extended period of time due to sewer and road work.
In that project, the traffic light configuration will be changed to bring westbound traffic down to one lane with a turn lane. This will bring it in line with the eastbound configuration and eliminate the lane merger to the west of the intersection.
According to a June release from Shulters’ office, plans for the project have been submitted to ODOT for final review.
In 2026, a closure will occur for the second phase of work on Hallett Avenue. The road was partially closed during the spring for the first phase of the project – since completed – which included road reconstruction and sidewalk installation.
The year will also bring closures for improvements on Crestwood Drive and, tentatively, for installation of a new pedestrian signal at the intersection of South Main Street and Garfield Street.
