The Blade's Road Warrior

4/15/2005

The 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.

Traffic congestion in downtown Toledo will ease considerably if Jackson Street outside the Lucas County Courthouse opens as scheduled next Friday. The street has been closed since late November while the county repaired a pedestrian tunnel used to transport prisoners.

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 midday 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. Actual interchange construction begins Monday. 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 Corey Road and Sherbrooke Road bridges over the freeway. Sherbrooke is scheduled to reopen today, while Corey is scheduled to reopen Wednesday. The lane closings on Douglas are to continue until May 2, and paving requires lane closings on Monroe Street at I-475.

4. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge: Preparatory work associated with the draw span replacement work requires varying lane closings between6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, except holidays. Expect delays.

5. Jackson Street: Pedestrian tunnel construction to the Lucas County courthouse closes Jackson between Erie and Michigan streets through next week. Use Constitution Avenue or Adams Street instead.

6. Byrne Road: Bridge reconstruction and pavement work restrict traffic to one lane in each direction between Airport Highway and Arlington Avenue. Use Eastgate Road or Detroit Avenue instead.

7. State Rt. 246 (Dorr Street): Resurfacing and repair restrict traffic to one lane each way between Douglas Road/Westwood Avenue and Smead Avenue.

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.

10. I-75: Bridge deck repairs limit traffic to two lanes each way between the Ohio-Michigan border and Exit 5 near Erie, Mich., and also between LaPlaisance Road and Dixie Highway near Monroe. Delays are possible during peak travel times.

11. I-475: Bridge painting requires lane closings at Holland-Sylvania Road between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. nightly. Completion is scheduled for May 2.

12. U.S. 20 (Central Avenue): Touch-up work on last year s widening and resurfacing project requires varying lane closings near McCord Road until May 13. Delays are likely.

OFF THE MAP

Seaman Street: Closed at the intersection of Cousino Road for culvert replacement. Closure has been extended to May 2. Detour on North Curtice, Corduroy, Decant, and Jerusalem.

Pickle Road: Closed Monday at 7 a.m. just west of Wynn Road for a sanitary sewer project. Detour on Wynn, Navarre Avenue, and Lallendorf Road until Pickle reopens at 5 p.m.

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. In Williams County, railroad crossing repairs close the route in Edgerton next week; detour via State Rts. 49, 249, and 2.

State Rt. 2: Rehabilitation of the Edison Bridge over Sandusky Bay restricts traffic to one lane in each direction until mid-May. 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.

Fulton-Lucas Road: Closed between Airport Highway and Shaffer Road for bridge repairs. Detour on Airport, Scott Road, and Shaffer Road. Project is expected to take 180 days.

Contact the Road Warrior at:roadwarrior@theblade.comor 419-724-6094.