Drivers in downtown Chillicothe face two separate street closures starting next week, one lasting most of November for courthouse work and one lasting a single morning on Election Day, the City of Chillicothe announced, as reported by the Scioto Valley Guardian.
The longer closure begins Monday, Nov. 2: the right turn lane from North Paint Street onto West Main Street will close for four weeks, through Nov. 27, so crews can continue work at the Ross County Courthouse, the city said, according to the Scioto Valley Guardian. The closure affects only the turn lane — through traffic on North Paint Street will not be blocked — and the work is part of a broader restoration project at the historic courthouse.
The shorter closure comes Tuesday, Nov. 3, when East Second Street will close from 8 a.m. to noon between North Paint Street and the alley beside the Majestic Theatre, the city said, according to the Scioto Valley Guardian. That closure is unrelated to the courthouse project, and the city did not say what work is prompting it.
The Paint Street turn lane is the latest in a series of courthouse-related disruptions downtown. Paint Street closed in both directions on Saturday, Oct. 24, between Main Street and the alley beside the Law Enforcement Complex for the same restoration project, the Scioto Valley Guardian reported at the time, and drivers should expect similar short closures as the restoration continues.
For most downtown drivers the practical effect is narrow but worth planning around: anyone who normally turns right from North Paint onto West Main — a common route toward Bridge Street and the U.S. 23 corridor — will need an alternate turn for the rest of November, while Election Day voters and workers downtown on Tuesday morning should route around East Second Street near the Paint Street corridor until noon.
The closures land in a busy stretch for downtown Chillicothe, between the Halloween festival weekend just ended and the start of the holiday season, when courthouse-square businesses rely on easy access and parking turnover.
Residents with questions about either closure can contact the city at 740-773-2700, the Scioto Valley Guardian reported from the city’s announcement. The turn-lane closure is scheduled to lift after Nov. 27, weather and construction progress permitting.