Seven inches of rain in four hours? A recipe for road damage, leaders say

SPRING VALLEY TWP. — Two of three roads washed away by rain during last Friday’s storms in Spring Valley Township are back open, but more work is planned to get a third re-opened.

The largest of the projects involves Cornstalk Road, east of U.S. 42, where fast-moving water Friday night caused the road to cave in 12 feet, township officials said.

“It caught us all by surprise,” said Robby Mumford, Spring Valley Township roads superintendent. “Too much water, too fast, too quick.”

>> Ohio Supreme Court rules on whether teachers, staff can carry guns at school

Mumford said some rain gauges in the area measured as much as seven inches of rainfall over a four-hour span Friday. The township had to close so many roads, it ran out of signs and needed to borrow some from nearby localities.

“It was unbelievable,” he said. “I can even remember back with Ike (in 2008)…it was nothing like this.”

On Cornstalk Road, crews had to dig out a ravine and replace a culvert pipe. They’ll then have to fill in the area and re-pave that section of road.

The hope is to have it back open by Friday, or the weekend.

©2021 Cox Media Group