Sign, paint work to slow I-75, I-475

9/4/2003

Expect to spend a little more time traveling on I-475 and I-75 this week.

Sign installations are expected to cause traffic delays today on I-475/U.S. 23 in Springfield Township and paint inspections will require short-term lane closings on I-75 today. Shoulder closings on I-75 are expected next week.

Between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., various lane closings will occur on I-475/U.S. 23 for overhead sign work at Airport Highway (State Rt. 2), the Ohio Department of Transportation said.

Also during those hours, paint will be inspected on the DiSalle Bridge and Berdan/Detroit viaducts on I-75. The DiSalle inspection, planned for the morning, will close one of three lanes in each direction but is not expected to cause significant delays.

The afternoon inspection at Berdan/Detroit will restrict northbound traffic to one lane, and long traffic delays are likely, ODOT cautioned.

The bridge paint inspections today and next week are a follow-up to a recent investigation that found a state inspector in eastern Ohio accepted bribes from contractors to falsify inspection reports for painting projects. While no behavior of that sort is suspected in the Toledo area, ODOT has decided to inspect all bridges that have been painted recently.

Next week's inspections will require I-75 shoulder closings at the following locations, all between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the specified day:

w Monday, Napoleon, Poe, and Roachton roads, rural Wood County.

w Tuesday, Buck and Wales roads, Rossford and Northwood.

w Wednesday, Lincoln Avenue and Monroe Street, Toledo.

w Thursday, I-475 interchange ramps and Alexis Road, Toledo.

w Friday, Willys Parkway and Chrysler Drive, Toledo.