Part of state Route 516 in Tuscarawas County will remain closed at least late next spring due to last week's sand and gravel pit collapse.

The road will be closed between Bair Road and Josephine Street at Dover. Engineers anticipate a late spring or early summer road reopening.

The Ohio Department of Transportation District said in a news release that officials expect the pit restoration to "take a minimum of three months of good weather due to the nature of the work which must take place from a barge operation. Restoration involves pumping sand back into the voided area, creating a protective fill."

Ohio Department of Transportation District 11 Deputy Director Lloyd MacAdam said in the release, "The conditions of the active Industrial Minerals Permit issued to the property owner by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, require the permittee to reclaim and restore the property to its previous conditions which includes stabilizing the pit along SR 516."

MacAdam further said, "Once the property owner's work is completed, we can begin to repair the roadway. Unfortunately, we cannot begin the road repairs until the ground surrounding the road's right of way is stabilized."

Traffic will continue to be detoured on state Route 39 and state Route 93. Starting at the intersection of state Route 39 and state Route 516 in Dover, traffic is being rerouted west on state Route 39 to state Route 93 in Sugarcreek, then north on SR 93 back to SR 516 in Dundee, and reverse.

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