The Blade s Road Warrior
9/1/2006The Blade s Road Warrior advises readers where the biggest driving headaches will be throughout the construction season. He ll tell you the locations to avoid and the detours to take.
It may be finished soon, but the I-475/U.S. 23 bridge rehabilitation project won t be finished soon enough to be of help to Labor Day weekend travelers.
And motorists heading to Detroit on northbound I-75 should know that crews will start work soon after Labor Day on I-75 between Gibraltar and Dix-Toledo roads in a section known as Downriver.
The bridge work that restricts traffic to a single lane each way on I-475 east of U.S. 23 and U.S. 23 north of I-475 remains the biggest travel obstacle in the Toledo area for the upcoming holiday, just as it was for Memorial Day and Independence Day.
For any long-distance trip that would use U.S. 23 through metro Toledo, using I-75, I-275 and I-94 is strongly recommended as an alternate route, especially now that all lanes of I-75 in Monroe County are open.
Locally, Monroe Street is a reasonable alternative to the I-475/U.S. 23 combination between downtown Toledo and Sylvania, but those who wait to exit westbound I-475 until Talmadge Road should expect delays on the ramp there this afternoon.
And coming home from Michigan on Monday, Toledoans may do well to exit U.S. 23 at Summerfield Road (Exit 9) or Consear Road (Exit 3) to avoid a backup at the state line.
I-280 remains closed, but that detour has been in effect for so long that most people have adapted to it.
Its main consequence is occasionally long backups at the Ohio Turnpike s I-75 interchange. As the turnpike is not inclined to waive tolls, travelers should consider using the I-280 interchange instead, using I-280 and State Rt. 795 to or from I-75.
In any case, southbound I-75 motorists should watch for backups on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
1. I-280: Closed for bridge construction, Greenbelt Parkway to Summit Street, until November. Through traffic detour via I-75, State Rt. 795. Northbound Summit is closed at I-280; use Greenbelt to Galena Street instead.
At I-280, Front Street is restricted to one lane each way with turn restrictions. The Front entrance to southbound I-280 is closed for reconstruction.
2. I-475, U.S. 23: Bridge rehabilitation closes lanes north and east of I-475/U.S. 23 junction. Reopening later this month.
3. Byrne Road: Bridge reconstruction and road rebuilding closes lanes north of Airport Highway and south of Tedrow Road.
4. State Rt. 420: Interchange construction at U.S. 20/23 closes lanes south of Truman Road. Traffic shifts on U.S. 20/23.
5. I-475/U.S. 23, State Rt. 25: Finishing work on bridge rehabilitation requires lane closings on the routes between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
6. State Rt. 184 (Alexis Road), I-75: Bridge reconstruction closes lanes on Alexis near I-75 until October. The southbound I-75 entrance and northbound I-75 exit at Alexis are closed through Wednesday.
7. State Rt. 582: Closed for culvert work at Liberty Hi Road until October. Detour via State Rts. 64 and 65.
8. Monroe Street: A repaving project requires lane closings west of U.S. 23 in downtown Sylvania.
9. State Rt. 2 (Airport Highway): Widening work between Byrne and Reynolds roads requires flag zones. Use South Avenue or Glendale Avenue.
10. State Rt. 2: Two-way traffic is maintained in a work area at the Bono curve, but watch for stopped vehicles making turns. Several side roads are closed.
11. Ohio Turnpike: Bridge widening between I-280 and I-75 might require lane closings. Glenwood and Cummings roads and East Broadway are closed at the turnpike.
12. State Rt. 51 (Monroe Street): Reconstruction requires lane closings between Lawrence and Detroit avenues. Lawrence is closed to through traffic between Bancroft and Monroe streets.
13. I-75: Pavement testing requires varying nighttime lane closings between Buck Road and Collingwood Boulevard on weeknights.
14. I-280: Pavement testing requires varying daytime lane closings between Curtice and Walbridge roads continue through today.
15. Wilkins Road: Repairs will force closing the road to through traffic for three months beginning Tuesday between Shafer and Old State Line roads.
In Wayne County, I-75 will be closed soon after Labor Day between Gibraltar and Dix-Toledo Roads Downriver, as crews fix 22 bridges between Gibraltar and Northline Roads. Construction will last through November, 2007.
Southbound Secor Road will be closed on Tuesday between Kenwood Boulevard and Bancroft Street on a two-phase project that will see the southbound side of the road closed for at least three weeks.
U.S. 6/20: Lanes closed on Fremont bypass east of State Rt. 412 for culvert work. Ramps closed at State Rt. 53 in Fremont for Route 53 widening.
U.S. 23: Railroad crossing repairs close the route near Switzer Road north of Fostoria. The completion date is today, weather permitting.
U.S. 223: Closed for bridge reconstruction on Adrian s west side. Detour via M-52, M-34. Use other routes, if possible.
U.S. 224: Culvert replacements close the route between State Rts. 186 and 235 in Hancock County. Detour via Routes 186 and 235.
State Rt. 2: Lane closings are likely on the Edison Bridge over Sandusky Bay from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 8 a.m. Friday.
M-125: Closed north of Frenchtown Square Mall, Monroe, for a bridge replacement. Detour via U.S. 24.
Contact the Road Warrior at: roadwarrior@theblade.com.