AUSTINTOWN — Township trustees are looking into their options for the future of a state-owned bridge on Lanterman Road.

More than 60 residents voiced concerns at a recent special meeting held to formally field questions about the Ohio Department of Transportation possibly removing the bridge.

The meeting, prompted by residents seeking more concrete answers, came less than a week after an open house-type meeting held by ODOT, at which residents and township officials cited concerns about safety-services response times, school bus routes, and increased traffic on other roads should the bridge be removed.

ODOT representatives have previously said a determination of what will happen to Lanterman Bridge is not imminent, with a decision expected in 2020.

Austintown Trustee Ken Carano, however, said the township is doing research to see what legal recourse or bargaining strategies could be employed if ODOT decides to remove the bridge.

“…it’s too early for anyone to get too upset about things, but certainly we will do our investigation, and the township will do our research on, if we don’t like the idea, what we can do to stop them,” Carano said.

Fire Chief Andy Frost has said a study conducted by the department found that without the bridge, it will take about 3 1/2 minutes longer for emergency services to reach

residents near the end of the would-be-cul-de-sacs.

“If you’re choking, having a cardiac arrest, heart attack — that three minutes could make a difference,” Frost has said.

He said another major concern raised by residents at both meetings is the condition of the county-owned road, which has not been repaved for many years.

Mahoning County Commissioner David Ditzler said during the

trustees meeting the road is not on the list to be repaved anytime soon, as it is relatively low-traveled and cannot handle heavier vehicles. An ODOT traffic count estimates about 300 vehicles travel the bridge a day.

Carano said the commissioners, like other political bodies, are getting less money from the state, and have to pick and choose which roads they can afford to repave — with paving costs approximately $110,000 per mile.

Ditzler and county Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti also spoke about the bridge during the commissioners’ meeting Thursday.

Ditzler said the community’s safety is at stake, and ODOT is being disrespectful.

“They said it’s a savings, but what about the damage to the people?” said Ditzler. “They’re creating dead ends and they’re not even going to make improvements to the road to bring it up to standards before they hand it back over.”

“Something needs to be done, and we are working with Austintown trustees,” Rimedio-Righetti said.

Carano said if the bridge is going to come down, the township hopes to negotiate with ODOT to repave the whole road, which would become the township’s responsibility. Carano said trustees also wanted residents to know the township is “somewhat opposed” to the bridge removal.

“We emphatically told them that if anyone from ODOT said that we (trustees) have agreed with anything that they have said, that is incorrect,” Carano said. “We are here representing the township.”

The 52-year-old bridge spanning Interstate 680 is nearing the end of its life, and the cost of replacing and maintaining the bridge is estimated around $4.2 million, according to ODOT public information officer Ray Marsch. He said demolishing the bridge and capping the road with cul-de-sacs is estimated to cost just under $450,000.

The current Lanterman Bridge does not meet vertical clearance standards, according to Marsch, who said if it were rebuilt, the entire structure would have to be raised up.

Another trustees meeting to discuss the bridge and the outcome of township research is expected to be called after Thanksgiving.

avugrincic@tribtoday.com