LIMA, OHIO— On November 18, construction on the Vine Street railroad grade separation underpass project in the City of Lima, Ohio, was completed and celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The construction of the roadway was 2,000 feet in combined length along Vine Street, Central Avenue and Union Street. The project also included 700 feet of permanent railroad track.

Along with assistance from subconsultant Rii, American Structurepoint provided rail construction inspection services on this project, which was funded using more than $12.9 million of ODOT American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) stimulus money. The total project cost was estimated at more than $14.7 million.

The project team eliminated the at-grade crossing of Vine Street with the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads between the South Main Street and South Central Avenue intersections.The railroad underpass, now a 3-lane roadway, was constructed to provide a safer multiple-rail crossing for motorists and pedestrians, to eliminate traffic congestion and delay, to reduce the incidents of motorists using residential streets to bypass this area, to aesthetically enhance the area and to reduce emergency response times. Lima Energy IGCC will use the CSXT/NS rail lines to move products in and out of their multi-modal facility with semi-truck and rail transfers. The complex project involved constant coordination between the construction activities and CSX, Norfolk Southern, utility companies and the public.

For the project, American Structurepoint also inspected the construction of a storm sewer system and pump station, inspected the construction of cast-in-place retaining walls, and provided on-site inspection and testing by of all concrete placed, including on the railroad bridge over Vine Street. The steel through girder structure features decorative historic displays incorporated on the bridge, along with decorative fencing atop the girders.