Plymouth bridge replacement advances toward construction after closure
Plymouth’s closed West Broadway Street/Baseline Road bridge is advancing toward replacement, but construction and reopening dates remain unconfirmed.
The Village of Plymouth’s closed West Broadway Street/Baseline Road bridge is moving closer to replacement, but construction has not been confirmed as underway and no reopening date has been announced.
During its July 14, 2026, meeting, Plymouth Village Council discussed the project. A pre-construction meeting is scheduled for Aug. 4, according to Richland Source. That meeting is the next reported milestone, but it does not guarantee that physical construction will begin immediately afterward.
A bridge closed since 2022
The bridge has been closed since July 2022 after Ashland Railway raised safety concerns. The replacement is intended to restore the West Broadway Street connection while addressing the railroad-related issues that have shaped the project.
A Village of Plymouth public notice documents coordination involving the railroad crossing and the Richland County Engineer’s Office. It also outlines planning connected to the Walnut Street railroad crossing. Under the documented arrangement, Walnut Street would close to roadway traffic after the replacement West Broadway bridge is completed, with traffic directed through planned detour routes.
Contractor and funding
Rietschlin Construction of Crestline is identified as the contractor. The Ohio Department of Transportation awarded the construction contract and is serving as the state transportation partner on the project.
The reported project estimate is $3.3 million. The reported funding structure includes $3 million in state funding, $92,000 from the Village of Plymouth and $210,000 shared by Richland and Huron counties. The county participation is separate from the village’s project responsibilities, and additional county exposure could occur if project costs increase.
Those figures describe the reported estimate and funding commitments; they should not be read as proof that all funds have been spent or transferred.
What residents should watch next
The bridge is an important local road connection, but the available records do not establish traffic-volume, economic-impact or reopening claims beyond the documented need to replace the closed crossing and manage related railroad access.
For residents, commuters and businesses, the practical issue is that detour and railroad-crossing planning will continue until the village or ODOT issues a detailed construction schedule. As of the latest cited reporting, the exact construction start date and the date the bridge could reopen remained unknown.
Sources
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