New Philadelphia, Ohio (WJER) - City officials say it’ll eventually be a smooth drive into Dover thanks to some help from the Ohio Department of Transportation. 

New Philadelphia Service Director Ron McAbier says the city has agreed to partner with ODOT to have them pave the section of state Toute 39 that runs alongside Interstate 77. He says with ODOT covering a majority of that cost, he’s happy to have the help keeping up with their paving schedule.

“It’s nice. We have the same 80/20 match we all have on state highway projects. It’s going to be by that time definitely worthy of being replaced,” he says.

McAbier says it’s nearly two miles worth of road that is shared between the two cities.
    
“I know that right there when you come off of 39 from the Dover exit from there is Phila all the way up to the tracks but I’m not sure of the footage,” he says.

The work is expected to begin in 2020. Council agreed to partner with ODOT on the project now in order to meet deadline requirements.

WJER RADIO