The Blade's Road Warrior
10/21/2005The Blade s Road Warrior advises readers where the biggest driving headaches will be throughout the construction season. He ll tell you locations to avoid and detours to take.
A shift is pending in the construction that has snarled one of the main freeway entrances to downtown Toledo.
On Tuesday, the work area at 11th and Washington streets will shift, with 11th reopening between Washington and Monroe streets, and Washington reopening between 11th and 14th streets. Washington will close between 11th and Michigan streets. The closing of Washington is expected to last for about two weeks.
While two lanes will be open from Indiana Avenue to 11th, motorists should continue to consider using the Collingwood Boulevard or Detroit Avenue exits from southbound I-75 as alternatives to the Washington/Downtown exit, which backs up badly during the morning rush hour. Take Collingwood or Detroit to Monroe Street and use Monroe or Jefferson Avenue to go downtown.
Outbound, avoid Monroe to get to the 14th Street entrance to northbound I-75 during peak travel times. Use other downtown streets to reach 14th or use the Collingwood entrance ramp.
1. I-280: The freeway is closed between Greenbelt Parkway and Summit Street for bridge construction. Through traffic is detoured via State Rt. 795 and I-75. Expect delays at the Ohio Turnpike/I-75 toll plaza.
The Summit entrance to the southbound Craig Memorial Bridge is open during the I-280 closing, which is expected to continue into mid-May.
Front Street is restricted to one lane each way at I-280, and left turns are prohibited between Dearborn Avenue and Esther Street, including I-280 ramps.
The ramp from southbound I-280 to eastbound Front Street is closed until Oct. 31, while the Front Street entrance to northbound I-280 is closed until mid November. Ash and Huron streets are closed at I-280.
2. U.S. 20/23, State Rt. 420: Interchange construction closes one lane each way on Route 420 south of Truman Road. Pemberville Road is closed at U.S. 20/23 for overpass construction. Use Bradner or Lemoyne roads instead.
3. U.S. 24: Resurfacing requires flag zones between Luna Pier and Dunbar roads. Delays are likely. Completion is scheduled for November.
4. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge: Preparatory work associated with draw-span replacement requires varying lane closings. Some are only in effect from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, except on holidays, but others are full time. Expect delays.
5. I-75: Pavement and bridge rehabilitation restricts southbound I-75 to two lanes between LaPlaisance and Erie roads. All northbound lanes and ramps are open, but unannounced additional lane closings in either direction are possible into next month.
Bridge work at Ready Road, near South Rockwood, Mich., requires single-lane traffic in both directions from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. today, and two-lane traffic at other times. From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. tomorrow, northbound I-75 will be reduced to one lane at the River Raisin in Monroe for concrete deck pours. Expect long delays for both of these single-lane zones.
6. Byrne Road: Bridge reconstruction and pavement work restrict traffic to one lane in each direction between Hill Avenue and Airport Highway, and between Heatherdowns Boulevard and Glendale Avenue. Sewer construction closes through traffic on Byrne between Detroit and Stengel avenues through next week.
7. State Rt. 246 (Dorr Street): Resurfacing restricts traffic to one lane in each direction between Detroit Avenue and Collingwood Boulevard.
8. Laskey Road: Street reconstruction restricts traffic to westbound only between Secor and Talmadge roads. Eastbound traffic is detoured via Alexis Road. Completion is expected during the first week of November.
9. Summit Street: Bridge reconstruction restricts traffic to one lane each way at the Ottawa River.
10. Fulton-Lucas Road: Bridge repairs close the road between Airport Highway and Shaffer Road through next week. Use Scott Road instead.
11. Monroe Street (State Rt. 51): Widening and repaving require nighttime lane closings between Willis Boulevard and Crary Drive. The work zone includes the Secor Road and Sylvania Avenue intersections. Work hours are 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. This project is scheduled for completion today; a progress update was not available yesterday.
12. Detroit Avenue (U.S. 24): Waterline construction restricts traffic to southbound only between Schneider Road and Sherwood Avenue through next week. Northbound traffic is detoured via the Anthony Wayne Trail.
13. I-280: Bridge painting that restricts I-280 to one lane each way at the Ohio Turnpike is expected to end today.
14. State Rt. 65: Resurfacing requires daily flag zones between East Boundary Street in Perrysburg and the southern limits of Rossford. Use I-75 instead.
15. State Rt. 2 (Airport Highway): Pavement repairs will restrict traffic to one lane each way at Holloway Road from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. tomorrow. Expect delays.
16. Downtown Toledo: Work at the intersection of 11th and Washington streets will shift on Tuesday. 11th will reopen but Washington will close between 11th and Michigan Street.
17. Cherry and Summit Street intersection: Brick crosswalk work will create lane restrictions though next week. Some turns may be restricted. Expect long delays westbound on the Martin Luther King, Jr., Bridge.
18. Seaman Road: Bridge rehabilitation closes Seaman between Wheeling Street and Berlin Avenue through Monday. Use Starr Avenue instead.
OFF THE MAP
I-75: Median barrier repairs require nighttime lane closings between Hancock County Road 99 and Findlay. Minor delays are possible.
U.S. 6/U.S. 20: Traffic is reduced to one lane each way at the western end of the Fremont bypass, with temporary traffic signals regulating the merge between U.S. 6 and U.S. 20.
U.S. 6: A culvert replacement will close the route at Wapakoneta Road in Wood County until Nov. 4. Detour via State Rts. 109, 281, and 25.
State Rt. 2: Rehabilitation of the Edison Bridge over Sandusky Bay restricts traffic to one lane each way. Delays are possible, 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 later this month.
Contact the Road Warrior at: roadwarrior@theblade.com or 419-724-6094.