YOUNGSTOWN — Mill Creek MetroParks, in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation, is planning the rehabilitation of the Slippery Rock Bridge on West Glacier Drive in Mill Creek Park.

The project will address deterioration of the existing structure through deck repairs, substructure patching, and the replacement of approach slabs, guardrail, and approach pavement. No widening or realignment is planned, according to a MetroParks news release.

The $480,000 project is set to begin construction in the spring 2026 and is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

During construction, the bridge and a section of road between West Glacier Drive / West Drive and Robinson Hill Drive / Memorial Hill Drive will be closed to all park users, including vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists, for up to 90 days.

A detour will direct park users to Old Furnace Road, located one half mile south of the bridge. Detour signage will be posted along West Glacier Drive / West Drive and Robinson Hill Drive / Memorial Hill Drive. Updated project information will be made available on the Mill Creek MetroParks website prior to the start of construction.

The Mill Creek Park Historic District is a protected resource under federal-aid transportation regulations. The proposed rehabilitation will preserve and, where possible, enhance the park’s historic and recreational features, the release states.

While the project will require temporary access-related impacts, including minor work within Mill Creek and selective trimming of trees near the bridge, no adverse long-term effects to protected park resources are anticipated, the release notes.

As part of the environmental review process, Mill Creek MetroParks is seeking public comments through Dec. 26 regarding potential social, environmental, and economic impacts of the proposed project.

Feedback may address topics including the natural environment, nearby residents, local economic considerations, or historic and cultural resources.

Comments should be mailed or emailed to: Justin Rogers, director of planning & operations, Mill Creek MetroParks, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road, Canfield, OH 44406. The email address is JRogers@MillCreekMetroParks.org