Road warrior
7/25/2003The Blade's Road Warrior tells readers where the biggest driving headaches will be throughout the construction season. He will advise you which spots to avoid and what detours to take.
Long delays continue to be reported in the U.S. 23 work zone between Summerfield Road and Dundee in Monroe County. Motorists heading to Ann Arbor and points north should seriously consider using I-75 and I-275 to either I-94 or I-96 as an alternate route. Use I-94 to get to Ann Arbor, and I-96 for points north of Brighton. U.S. 223 to U.S. 127, via Jackson and Lansing, is another possibility for northern Michigan destinations.
Also, be reminded that I-280 is closed through Toledo this weekend. A posted detour uses I-75 and State Rt. 795. Southbound traffic may enter I-280 from Navarre Avenue south.
The Road Warrior welcomes your comments or questions about driving conditions in and around Toledo. E-mail him at roadwarrior@theblade.com.
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1. I-280, local streets: Construction associated with the new Maumee River bridge closes the freeway to through-traffic between I-75 and State Rt. 795 from 7 tonight through 6 a.m. Monday. Intermittent traffic stops are possible at other times north of Navarre Avenue. Reduced speed limits are posted through the area.
The northbound entrance at Buckeye Basin Greenbelt Parkway reopens Monday; the northbound exit will remain closed until August, 2005.
Westbound Front Street is reduced to one lane between Consaul Street and I-280. Ash and Huron streets are both closed at I-280. Manhattan is restricted to one lane in each direction at I-280 for bridge reconstruction. Seaman Street is closed at I-280 for bridge painting and pavement reconstruction until Wednesday, after which Starr Avenue and the Starr exit will be closed for bridge painting and pavement repairs.
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. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. the following mornings, flag zones will be set up in the work area during paving. Through-traffic should plan alternate routes to avoid delay. Spring Valley Drive is closed at Airport through Tuesday. A posted detour uses Holland-Sylvania Road.
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 entrance and exit ramps, requiring detours.
Resurfacing projects require lane closings on Detroit between Nebraska and Woodruff avenues and on Fearing Boulevard between Airport Highway and Buckingham Street. Expect delays, especially south of Dorr Street.
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. The road is blocked at the CSX railroad crossing until Aug. 5.
7. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge: Reconstruction restricts traffic to one lane each way. Delays are likely during daytime hours.
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. I-75: Nighttime resurfacing requires varying lane closings between the downtown Toledo viaduct and the I-475 junction. Work hours are 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
12. Miami Street: Reconstruction restricts traffic to northbound only between Fassett and Oak streets until December. Navarre Avenue and Wilmot Street will be closed at Miami till mid-August.
13. I-475: Pavement repairs and resurfacing require nighttime lane closings and occasional ramp closings between U.S. 23 and I-75, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., through Thursday.
14. I-75: Nighttime resurfacing requires lane restrictions from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. between Bowling Green and Cygnet through Sept. 13.
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. 295: Turn lane construction closes the route at U.S. 24 starting Monday. Detour via U.S. 24 and State Rt. 64. Completion is scheduled for Oct. 15.
17. South Avenue: Replacement of the Swan Creek bridge closes the street between Lynnhaven Drive and Woodsdale Avenue until late September. Detour via Airport Highway.
18. U.S. 24 (Detroit Avenue): Construction associated with a new pump station for the railroad underpass near Dura Avenue restricts traffic to one lane each way. Waggoner Boulevard is closed at Detroit.
OFF THE MAP
I-75: Pavement reconstruction restricts traffic to two lanes each way between Northline Road and the River Rouge Bridge in Detroit. Delays are likely, especially during rush hours.
I-75: Interchange reconstruction requires lane closings near North Baltimore from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Pavement repairs and paving require lane closings between Hancock County Road 99 and State Rt. 613 between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Delays are likely.
U.S. 20A/State Rt. 2: Underpass repairs close the route just east of Delta through next week. A posted detour uses State Rt. 109, U.S. 20, and State Rt. 295. Construction in Swanton precludes using State Rt. 64 as a detour route.
U.S. 23: A pavement reconstruction project restricts traffic to one lane each way between Summerfield Road and Dundee, Mich. Delays are likely, including on weekends.
In Wyandot County, construction of a new U.S. 30 interchange southeast of Upper Sandusky restricts traffic to one lane each way.
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 occasionally closes Route 53 on the north side of Tiffin.
State Rt. 163: Railroad crossing repairs close the road in Oak Harbor until Tuesday.