SMITHVILLE, Ohio — While only a little over 1,300 residents live in the village of Smithville, it's a proud community.
"We are a very close community," Judy Sayre, owner of Sayre's Marketplace, said. "We do look out for each other."
Sayre's Marketplace is just one of several local businesses that call Smithville home. All the businesses in the area say they benefit from the traffic that comes through on State Route 585 on the way to and from Wooster.
"585 goes all over the world," The Carpenter's Cup Co-Owner Sarah Hubacher said.
In June, the world began to slow down in Smithville as tables in the Carpenter's Cup sat empty and Busy Day Gourmet Meals sat in the freezer at Sayre's.
The emptiness seems to stem from two road construction projects in the area. One is an Ohio Department of Transportation project on State Route 585 and Geyers Chapel Road. The other is a roundabout project with Wayne County at the intersection of Smithville-Western and Honeytown Road.
Both projects are blocking two of the main arteries into and out of town. Detours are sending people around the village, which has led to some quiet days in Smithville.
"If we wanted to, we could dance in the streets on 585," Sayre said.
So, how did this happen?
"If it's anyone's fault," Scott Miller with the Wayne County Engineer's Office said. "I guess you would have to put it on us."
Miller said the county's roundabout project was scheduled for completion last year, but was delayed. The county and ODOT were aware of each other's projects and met to discuss them and detours.
While both understand the impact of the closures on Smithville, both said this was the best time to complete the roundabouts.
"There are a lot of fall festivities that happen in that area," Crystal Neelon, a public information officer with ODOT District Three, said. "It was important for both ODOT and the Wayne County Engineers Office to be sure we got both of those projects completed ahead of that traffic that they are expected to receive in the fall."
Until the roads reopen, the village is depending on the power of social media and creating viral posts as they do the best they can during the closures.
"We just have to really tighten our belts," Hubacher said. "Think things through because it's an economic issue for us."
Relief should be on the way soon. Both roundabout projects are scheduled to wrap by the end of August. Both ODOT and Wayne County said the projects may even finish ahead of schedule.
