ODOT Breaks Ground On New Putnam County Facility

(From the Ohio Department of Transportation)

Shovel-ready and full of promise!

On Friday, May 30, we broke ground on ODOT’s brand-new maintenance facility on State Route 109 in Ottawa!

We can’t wait to call this place home in about a year.

Stay tuned for progress updates!

For nearly 45 years, ODOT’s Putnam County maintenance operations have been based out of the facility at the intersection of 11th Street and Perry Street, built in 1979. For many years the outdated layout has posed significant challenges, including limited space for larger equipment and the lack of a dedicated wash bay.

According to District 1 Deputy Director Chris Hughes, “Our facilities are the backbone of our operations, ensuring Ohio’s highways remain well-maintained and safe. The new facility will provide the necessary space and resources to efficiently house and maintain equipment and materials, benefiting not just Putnam County, but the entire region.”

The new facility aims to address these issues and support the garage’s role as a regional hub for district operations, including snow plowing, pavement repairs, and drainage work.

In 2017, ODOT acquired a 22.3-acre property on the village’s north edge, with plans to build pending available funding. Once built, the new full-service garage, designed by Buehrer Group Architecture of Maumee, will feature a significantly larger footprint. The combined garage and office space will span 30,900 square feet, nearly doubling the size of the current facility.

The new garage boasts several key upgrades, including a substantial increase in salt and fuel storage capacity. Salt storage will expand from 2,800 tons to 4,000 tons, while fuel storage will grow from 8,000 gallons to 10,000 gallons.