If you’ve driven around Scioto County lately, you’ve probably had a few thoughts about the roads—and most of them weren’t polite. The good news? There’s a long-running plan in place that’s already poured millions into fixing them, and more help is on the way.
💰 The Big Number: $29 Million in Paving
Since 2017, Scioto County and its partners have worked together on a countywide paving program that’s already completed about $29 million worth of road work across more than 800 roads.
And that number keeps growing.
For 2026, the county just landed another $1.14 million grant, and officials say they’ve already been awarded $1.4 million toward upcoming projects—with more grant applications planned.
🛣️ What This Program Actually Does
In plain terms, this program is about pooling resources to get more roads paved for less money.
Instead of every township, village, or city going it alone (and paying top dollar), they team up.
Commissioner Merit Smith said he recently sat down with the county engineer to better understand the program, though he was already somewhat familiar with it from his time on South Webster council.
“It started in 2017, and is an agreement between all the villages, townships, and Portsmouth—except Rarden and Otway,” Smith said. He added that those two communities aren’t part of the program because they don’t generate enough funding to contribute their share.
🤝 Why Working Together Saves Money
Here’s the reality: it costs about $100,000 to pave just one mile of road.
That adds up fast.
By combining projects into one big contract:
- The county gets better bid prices
- The group has a stronger shot at state grants
- Communities can stretch their dollars further
Smith said this is paving work that likely wouldn’t have happened otherwise. He pointed to an early example—when Portsmouth joined the program, they were able to pave Chillicothe Street at a lower cost because of the agreement.
📍 Who Gets Paving (And When)
Not every area is on the same schedule:
- Portsmouth participates every year
- Townships rotate every other year
That system helps spread both the work and the cost across the county.
🚧 What’s Coming Next
Officials say the focus now is on some of the county’s worst trouble spots.
One major goal:
👉 Fixing badly damaged roads in Sciotoville by July 2027, using a mix of grants and local funding.
There are also problem areas like Walnut Street near the New Boston border, where the issue may go deeper than just the surface.
Before paving, crews may need to:
- Test the road’s base (substructure)
- Address drainage problems
- Make sure repairs actually last
The goal, Smith said, is simple: fix it right the first time.
🏗️ What the County Can—and Can’t—Do
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize:
The county commissioners don’t directly control city roads.
But they can:
- Help coordinate projects
- Bring communities together
- Secure better pricing and funding
Commissioner Scottie Powell called the program a “good deal,” noting that while the county doesn’t do the roads themselves, they can authorize collaboration to get projects moving.
🔮 What It Means Going Forward
With millions already spent and more funding coming in, officials are optimistic.
Commissioner Will Mault said he expects roads to be “a lot better in the future.”
That doesn’t mean every pothole disappears overnight—but it does mean there’s a real system in place to tackle them, piece by piece, mile by mile.
📞 Have questions or concerns about road projects?
Contact the Scioto County Commissioners’ Office at 740-353-8313.
If nothing else, next time you hit a freshly paved stretch of road, there’s a good chance it didn’t happen by accident—it happened because a bunch of local governments decided to stop going it alone and start working together.
