Perry’s Manchester Road bridge remains closed through October

Manchester Road remains closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the Village of Perry while Lake County replaces the bridge over Red Mill Creek. The Lake County Engineer’s current road-construction update lists October 30, 2026, as the scheduled completion date.

Until the county announces that the bridge has reopened, the posted detour directs traffic from Center Road to Middle Ridge Road, then to Call Road and back to Manchester Road. The closure applies to pedestrians as well as drivers, so people who normally walk through the crossing will also need to plan around the work zone.

What is being built

This is a full bridge replacement rather than a surface repair. The county’s April 6 project announcement says the existing bridge over Red Mill Creek will be replaced with a 42-foot galvanized steel beam bridge with a concrete deck and a pedestrian walk. The project bid documents specify a four-foot pedestrian sidewalk.

The work also includes roadway approach improvements, drainage work and guardrail installation. The sidewalk and the road connection will not be available until construction is complete and the county authorizes reopening.

Project cost and funding

Lake County awarded the construction contract to Union Industrial Contractors of Ashtabula for $1,162,000. The county’s April 6 announcement described the construction project as 80% state funded.

The project also appears in the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency’s 2026–2029 Highway Transportation Improvement Program. That regional document identifies the Perry Village Manchester Road bridge over the fork of Red Mill Creek and lists a separate total project estimate of $954,030. The county’s $1,162,000 figure is the contract award amount, not necessarily the final project cost.

What Perry residents should plan for

Drivers using Manchester Road should follow the posted Center Road–Middle Ridge Road–Call Road route and should not attempt to pass the barricades. The closure may require additional planning for school trips, appointments, deliveries and visits to nearby businesses, although the available project notices do not quantify specific delays or changes in emergency-response times.

Pedestrians should also avoid the closed bridge area. A sidewalk is included in the replacement design, but that connection will not be available until the bridge work is complete and the county authorizes reopening.

For the latest status, residents should check the Lake County Engineer’s road-construction updates before planning trips through the area. The detour remains in effect until an official reopening notice is posted.

Sources

• Lake County Engineer road-construction updates
• NOACA 2026–2029 Highway Transportation Improvement Program