Reinforcing Lake Road
Lake Erie Slide Repair
Editor: Allison Braswell 

Bordering Lake Erie is State Route 531 (SR 531) in Ashtabula, OH--both a scenic circuit with stunning views of this Great Lake and a regional transportation link that is vital to the region's community and robust tourism industry that brings in $295 million annually. The rivalry between this route and Lake Erie, however, has raised safety concerns. Over the past decade, the lake has slowly crept its way up the hill side near SR 531. This led to a slowly crumbling foundation that threatened the structural integrity of the road, endangering locals, tourists and holiday travelers. In December 2022, ODOT announced an emergency closure on SR 531 to address this serious erosion issue. 

A.P. O'Horo Company was awarded the contract to get SR 531 back on course. To aid in the construction, O'Horo rented an ICE® 33 Vibratory Driver to drive about 150 feet of PZC26 x 45' (ft) cantilevered sheet pile in the affected area to restore proper roadway alignment and reduce the curve around the scarp. The retaining wall will save the pavement from meeting with the slope and most importantly protect the traveling public who use the roadway. 

This sheet piling is a short-term solution that allowed SR 531 to be reopened and resume traffic shortly after the New Year (2023). ODOT says the design of the long-term solution to erosion in the area is still in the early phases and they hope to put it into effect in the next two years. Many thanks to A.P. O'Horo for looking to International Construction Equipment, Inc to provide the best vibratory hammer for this job. With nearly 50 years of providing dependable deep foundations equipment, the ICE® team is always available to consult with you when choosing the proper solutions for each project. 

Learn more about the ICE® 33. 

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