Stimulus dollars are already helping to fill in gaps in ODOT project funding.

A project just under way on U.S. Route 22 in Harrison County will remove three bridges and not replace them. The area will instead be filled in with dirt and paved, reducing maintenance and inspection costs.

“We have the right of way down here,” said ODOT District 11 Bridge Engineer Waseem Khalifa. “So instead of replacing these bridges with new ones, we are basically going to take them out, fill them in and put pavement on top.”

Removing the bridges will save ODOT about $7 million over the next 35 years, plus an additional $5,000 a year in inspection and maintenance costs.

This is one of the first stimulus projects in the state to break ground, and the effects can be felt in more ways than one.

In total it is estimated that almost 3,000 hours will be spent on the job by union carpenters, laborers and operators.

The other direct result of the stimulus money is that funding that was to be used on this project has now been freed up to be used in other ways both short and long term.

“What will happen is we will be able to back fill now,” said ODOT Public Information Officer Becky McCarty. “This was about a million-dollar project, so we will be able to back fill next year and the year after.”

Construction on the project began the first week of July. Officials hope the project will be completed by November.

The old bridges will eventually be broken up and used as part of the fill. The steel from the bridges will be recycled.

Both eastbound and westbound sides on U.S. 22 will be reduced to one lane at some point during the project. Only the westbound on-ramp will be totally closed.