Road warrior

6/13/2003

The Blade's Road Warrior tells readers where the biggest driving headaches will be throughout the construction season. He'll advise you which spots to avoid and what detours to take.

Delays are likely today through Sunday on southbound I-280 for more work associated with the new Maumee River Crossing.

Beginning at 10 a.m., southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane at Navarre Avenue. The closed lane is scheduled to reopen by 6 a.m. Monday.

Northbound traffic won't be affected, but there will be 15-minute traffic stops on the northbound side at Manhattan Boulevard while steel beams are erected for the replacement overpass there. Expect delays between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. tomorrow.

ODOT has posted a 35-mph speed limit on I-280 between Summit Street and the Buckeye Basin Greenbelt Parkway because of abrupt lane shifts in the construction zone.

The Road Warrior welcomes your comments or questions about driving conditions in and around Toledo. Contact him at roadwarrior@theblade.com.

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1. I-280, local streets: Construction associated with the new Maumee River bridge requires occasional off-peak lane closings between Navarre Avenue and I-75. Reduced speed limits are posted through the area. Ten-minute traffic stops may cause daytime delays.

Westbound Front Street is reduced to one lane, between Consaul Street and I-280. Ash Street is closed for bridge demolition, and Huron Street will close on Monday. Manhattan Boulevard is restricted to one lane in each direction at I-280 for bridge reconstruction.

Northbound I-280 ramps at the Greenbelt Parkway remain closed for construction while the I-280 bridge over the parkway is widened.

2. State Rt. 2 (Airport Highway), I-475: Road widening and reconstruction restricts traffic to one lane each way between I-475 and Holloway Road. The southbound I-475 exit to westbound Route 2 is closed through June 23. A posted detour takes traffic south to U.S. 24, then back north on I-475 to Route 2. Through-traffic should plan alternate routes to minimize delays.

3. I-75, U.S. 24 (Detroit Avenue): Overpass reconstruction requires lane closings on I-75 that may delay traffic during midday and nighttime hours. On U.S. 24, traffic is reduced to one lane each way at I-75, just north of Monroe Street. Left turns are prohibited at the southbound I-75 exit and entrance ramps, requiring detours.

4. State Rt. 51: Resurfacing restricts traffic to one lane each way at varying locations between the Toledo-Oregon line and State Rt. 579. Work east of Route 579 requires flag zones. Delays are likely.

5. U.S. 6: Bridge reconstruction reduces traffic to one lane between the two State Rt. 199 junctions in Wood County.

6. Eckel Junction Road: Road widening work closes the road to through-traffic between Fort Meigs Road and State Rt. 25. One-way access is maintained for local traffic.

7. Ohio Turnpike: A resurfacing project restricts traffic to one lane each way between the I-75 and I-280 interchanges.

8. State Rt. 25: Bridge reconstruction south of Portage reduces traffic to one lane each way.

9. State Rt. 2/U.S. 20A (Airport Highway): Resurfacing restricts traffic to one lane each way between Swanton and the Ohio Turnpike.

10. West South Boundary Street: Widening restricts traffic to one direction between State Rts. 25 and 199, with delays likely.

11. U.S. 23: Reconstruction of two bridges restricts traffic to one lane in each direction for about a mile just north of the Ohio-Michigan line.

12. State Rt. 120 (Central Avenue), U.S. 20 (Reynolds Road): Nighttime resurfacing requires lane closings on Central Avenue between Reynolds Road and Talmadge and on Reynolds between Central and Elmer Drive. Work hours are 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

13. I-475: Pavement repairs and resurfacing require nighttime lane closings between U.S. 23 and I-75, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Next week, overnight ramp closings will occur at Corey, Talmadge, and Secor roads, varying each night.

14. I-75: Nighttime resurfacing requires lane restrictions from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. between Bowling Green and Cygnet through June.

15. State Rt. 163: Road realignment closes the route between the Ottawa-Wood county line and Genoa. Detour via State Rt. 51 and I-280.

16. State Rt. 25: Resurfacing restricts traffic to one lane each way in work zone areas between State Rt. 582 and Roachton Road.

17. Miami Street: Reconstruction between Fassett Street and Navarre Avenue begins Monday, restricting traffic to northbound only until December. Navarre and Wilmot Street both will be closed at Miami until mid-August.

OFF THE MAP

I-75: Pavement reconstruction restricts traffic to two lanes each way between Goddard Road and the River Rouge Bridge in Detroit. Delays are likely, especially during rush hours.

I-75/State Rt. 18: Interchange reconstruction requires nighttime lane closings near North Baltimore from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Railroad crossing reconstruction closes Route 18 just east of I-75. Use State Rt. 613 instead.

I-275/I-94: In Romulus, Mich., the ramp from northbound I-275 to eastbound I-94 is closed. All Metro Airport traffic from Toledo should use the Eureka Road entrance. Lane and ramp closings affect I-94 elsewhere near the airport during a reconstruction project through late July.

U.S. 23: A pavement reconstruction project restricts traffic to one lane each way between Summerfield Road and Dundee, Mich. Delays are likely, especially during peak hours.

In Wyandot County, construction of a new U.S. 30 interchange southeast of Upper Sandusky restricts traffic to one lane each way.

State Rt. 2/U.S. 20A: Pavement reconstruction closes the road at the railroad underpass just east of Delta for 11 days starting Monday. Detour via State Rt. 109, U.S. 20, and State Rt. 295.

State Rt. 12: Overpass reconstruction closes the route at I-75 in Findlay until early October. South of Arcadia, Ohio, replacement of two culverts closes the route through July 31.

State Rt. 53: Sewer construction closes Route 53 on the north side of Tiffin. Detour via State Rts. 12, 635, and 18.

State Rt. 163: Painting closes the Portage River drawbridge in Port Clinton for four nights next week. Work hours are 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., starting Monday evening and concluding Friday morning.