Madison Avenue awaiting repairs

Stretch of road remains closed

The Lake County Engineer’s Office has recently inspected a stretch of Madison Avenue in Painesville Township, east of Woodworth Avenue, which is currently closed to traffic due to deteriorating road conditions.

While the portion of affected road is located in Painesville Township, Madison Avenue is a Lake

County-owned and -operated road. The avenue has been closed since April.

“We don’t have any authority over it other than that we’re very concerned,” said township Administrator Michael Manary in a previous interview. “Where the road is closed there is no easy go-around to the next street.

“People will have to either go up to North Ridge road, which is US Route 20, to continue east or they’re going to have to head south to Route 84 to continue traveling east. If you’re heading west, it’s the same deal, you’re going to have to go to Route 84 or Route 20. Those are the closest two roads that go straight through.”

After a recent inspection Lake County engineers have determined that there is a bulge in the retaining wall caused from underground water and general corrosion of the wall, which in turn causes loss of packed soil within the wall.

A statement from the township administration stated that, after consulting with county engineers, they do not think it is safe to reopen the road until repairs can be made. The township’s social media post intimated a potential November reopening at the end of construction season.

Officials note that while the road can be repaired, it is a major project. At this stage, “the road and surrounding issues are still being studied by the engineer’s consulting firm. When the Engineer’s Office and the consulting firm decide what on what to do, they will have to design the project, advertise, and award the project.”

Painesville Township administration highlighted that funding remains an issue. They go on to state that the county has “some money for the project, but they are applying for grants to help get full funding for the project.”

Any permits they seek will have to be carefully researched due to Madison Avenue’s close proximity to Grand River, they said.

The township remains in contact with the Lake County Engineer’s Office for updates and project progress.