BELMONT — The Ohio Department of Transportation is seeking the public’s thoughts on a planned Interstate 70 improvement project in Belmont County.

The project will involve full depth reconstruction of 4.52 miles of I-70 as well as the ramps at Banfield Road interchange, National Road East interchange and High Ridge, which is Belmont County Road 214.

The ramps will be resurfaced. Traffic will be maintained during construction. The estimated construction cost is $55 million.

ODOT District 11 Public Information Officer Lauren Borell said the pavement in those areas has essentially reached its lifespan, so workers will be removing the existing pavement down to the base and rebuilding the roadway back up. Once the project is complete, it will look like workers just did a typical resurfacing project, but this one is more in depth.

Borell said a public comment period allows the public to comment on projects in regards to environmental, social or traffic impacts that should be brought to ODOT’s attention.

The construction of the project is supposed to start in the spring of 2029 and last 18 months. ODOT seeks public comment far in advance of the project because it has a project development process, and this I-70 project is in the design process.

The process includes planning, preliminary engineering, environmental engineering and then the final engineering and right of way and construction. This project is in stage one of the planning phase.

“It’s great to note, too, how much time goes into these projects – that we don’t develop projects in a year’s time,” Borell said. “It takes several years for these to be programmed, to make sure that we have the funding established for that project, and then start moving forward with the planning and all of the process associated with the project itself to get to construction right.”

The project will begin east of Mall Road near mile marker 218 and continue to mile marker 222.

ODOT is seeking comments from the public about the social, environmental and economic impacts of this proposed work. Environmental impacts include those associated with historical archaeological or architectural resources, ecological resources, hazardous materials and/or any general concerns regarding the project, according to its website.

Written comments can be mailed to ODOT District 11, 2201 Reiser Ave., New Philadelphia, OH 44663. Comments can also be directed to Thomas Stratton at 330-308-3992 or emailed to thomas.stratton@dot.ohio.gov. They can also be submitted at transportation.ohio.gov/projects/projects/107533. All comments must be submitted by June 5.