T-L File Photo A sign marks a portion of the Conotton Creek Trail in Scio. Harrison County officials hope to begin a trail improvement project this summer.

CADIZ — A long-awaited trail improvement project in Harrison County is moving closer to its start date.

The Conotton Creek Trail resurfacing project received numerous bids, all coming in under the engineer’s original $1 million estimate. A total of four bids ranging from $655,524 up to $830,555 were submitted for the trail improvement project. The bids were opened during the Wednesday Harrison County Board of Commissioners meeting. They include:

• Shelly & Sands of Rayland for $655,524;

• Cast & Baker Construction of Senecaville for $678,934;

• Parnell & Associates of Cambridge for $713,775;

• NLS Paving of St. Clairsville for $830,555.

The project consists of paving the 11.4 miles of the trail that connect Jewett, Scio, Conotton and Bowerston. The trail’s surface has never been repaved.

Commissioner Paul Coffland said the project has been in the works for the past four years.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “It’s been a long process, but we’re certainly excited and the people that are active in the trail and the trail committee are really excited as well.”

Engineer Doug Bachman recommended tabling the bids for further review. He will provide his recommendation in the coming weeks.

The Ohio Department of Transportation also must review the bids, Coffland said. ODOT is providing 95 percent of the project’s funding up to $950,000 through its Transportation Alternatives Program.

Officials anticipate beginning the paving project this summer with a completion date in September. Coffland added that it will be like a new trail once the project is completed.

Meanwhile, Harrison County Health Department Administrator Garen Rhome spoke at the meeting, providing Coffland and Commissioners Dale Norris and Don Bethel with an update on the coronavirus in the county. Rhome said nearly 20 percent of the county’s population has received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and more than 12 percent have received the second dose.

Over the past few months, 2,900 of the county’s roughly 15,000 residents have received the first dose of the vaccine, he said.

The health department will provide an estimated 300 first and second doses Friday for residents age 50 and older.

On Friday, eligibility for the vaccine will open up to Ohioans age 40 and over as well as to those with various medical conditions. However, eligibility does not mean the supply will be available just yet, Rhome said. He said the supply will be increasing throughout Ohio in the near future.

Rhome said shots will be available at many local providers soon, including at area Walgreens, Rite Aid and Kroger stores. He urges interested residents to visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov for more information on accessing the vaccine at your nearest provider. Residents can input their ZIP code and the vaccine providers within a 20-mile radius will be listed. Once a provider is selected, it will direct you to the agency’s online registration.

Rhome said the county has only had five new cases of COVID-19 reported in the past week. The county was moved down to risk Level 2, the orange category, last week on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System because of the decrease in COVID-19 cases. He said he is unsure whether the county will drop to Level 1, the yellow category, although he does not expect it to rise a level. The weekly designations are announced every Thursday.

Coffland added that he is happy to see the downward trend in cases.

“We hope we continue in that trend. We’re vaccinating more and more people in the county,” he said.

As of Wednesday, there have been a total of 1,031 confirmed cases in the county, 1,000 recoveries and 24 deaths. There are seven active cases in the county.