The Blade's Road Warrior
4/1/2005The Blade s Road Warrior tells readers where the biggest driving headaches will be throughout the construction season. He will tell you which spots to avoid and what detours to take.
With few construction projects planned for Toledo-area freeways this year and most of the city s street repair and resurfacing program yet to begin, relatively few orange-barrel obstacles await motorists compared with past springs. Even so, a few areas worth are avoiding.
Construction that began last year on Byrne Road south of Airport Highway and on Dorr Street between Upton Avenue and Douglas Road has resumed, with both work areas expected to expand next week. Bridge deck repairs make Douglas worth avoiding at I-475.
And motorists should remain aware that 15-minute delays are possible on I-280 at the Maumee River while work on the new bridge continues.
But one of the most troublesome projects is a pavement and bridge repair job on I-75 in Monroe County. Single-lane zones will occur again today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Erie Township and Monroe. But after that, two lanes of traffic will be maintained each way.
1. I-280: The work area for the Veterans Glass City Skyway project requires a 35-mph speed limit, and traffic may be halted for up to 15 minutes during mid-day hours between I-75 and Navarre Avenue.
The northbound exit and southbound entrance at Greenbelt Parkway remain closed, as do Ash and Huron streets at I-280.
2. U.S. 20/23, State Rt. 420: Utility work associated with upcoming interchange construction requires varying lane closings. Expect delays.
3. I-475 overpasses: Bridge deck repairs restrict traffic to one lane in each direction on Douglas Road at I-475 and close the Rushland Avenue bridge over the freeway. Rushland is scheduled to reopen early next week, after which the Bowen Road bridge will be closed for about 12 days. The lane closings on Douglas are to continue until May 2.
4. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge: Preparatory work associated with the draw span replacement work requires varying lane closings between 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, except holidays. Expect delays during peak hours.
5. Jackson Street: Construction of a pedestrian tunnel to the Lucas County courthouse closes Jackson between Erie and Michigan streets until April 22. Use Constitution Avenue or Adams Street instead.
6. Byrne Road: Bridge reconstruction restricts traffic to one lane in each direction between Airport Highway and Arlington Avenue. Pavement work will start Monday at Airport and at Arlington. Use Eastgate Road or Detroit Avenue instead.
7. State Rt. 246 (Dorr Street): A resurfacing and repair project restricts traffic to one lane each way between Douglas Road and Upton Avenue. The work area may extend east to Smead Avenue late next week.
8. Ohio Turnpike: Ramp resurfacing requires lane closings and flag zones on the Reynolds Road (U.S. 20) interchange ramps in Maumee.
9. Summit Street: Bridge reconstruction restricts traffic to one lane each way at the Ottawa River.
OFF THE MAP
I-75: Roadway and bridge repairs require lane closings at several locations in Monroe County. Two lanes of traffic are planned to be available at all times, but occasional single-lane traffic has occurred because of emergency repairs on sections of shoulder being used temporarily for traffic. Be alert to the possibility of backups and delays.
U.S. 6: Replacement of a culvert and a bridge closes the route to through traffic in eastern Sandusky County until May 27. Detour via State Rts. 53 and 2.
State Rt. 2: Rehabilitation of the Edison Bridge over Sandusky Bay requires varying lane closings through the weekend and then full-time lane closings for six weeks starting Monday. Expect delays, especially on weekends.
State Rt. 108: Replacement of the Perry Street Bridge in Napoleon requires a six-mile detour, via U.S. 6 and State Rt. 110, until the new bridge opens in October.
Contact the Road Warrior at:roadwarrior@theblade.comor 419-724-6094.