The Blade s Road Warrior

9/15/2006

The 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.

Traffic should move freely today at the U.S. 23/I-475 interchange with the completion of work on southbound U.S. 23 south of Monroe Street.

The Ohio Department of Transportation cautions, however, that through the end of the month shoulder work will continue during the daytime hours, and some nighttime lane closings will be necessary to finish up the project.

Several other projects are under way or planned next week on key arteries that have the potential to cause significant traffic delays, but the good news is that one will last only four hours and the others are expected to be completed by next week at this time.

Summit Street in downtown Toledo will be reduced to one lane in each direction between Adams Street and Madison Avenue from Tuesday through Thursday for pavement reconstruction.

Miami Street (State Rt. 65) in East Toledo will likewise be reduced to one lane in each direction between Fassett and Oakdale through Wednesday because of waterline work.

In Hancock County, the ramp from I-75 southbound to U.S. 68 and State Rt. 15 will be closed for four hours during the day on Tuesday. The posted detour is a long one down to State Rt. 235 and back so Columbus-bound travelers should be prepared to exit at U.S. 224 and take it and State Rt. 37 through Findlay to get to eastbound Route 15. Another option is to take U.S. 23 via Fostoria and Carey.

1. I-280: Closed for bridge construction, Greenbelt Parkway to Summit Street, until November. Through traffic detours via I-75, State Rt. 795.

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 until Sept. 30.

2. U.S. 23/I-475 interchange: Nighttime lane closings and daytime shoulder work will continue through Sept. 30.

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 and shoulder work 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.

7. State Rt. 65 (Miami St.) closed one lane in each direction between Fassett and Oakdale because of a waterline project. Scheduled to reopen Wednesday.

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. Use South or Glendale avenues to avoid this flag-zone work. The eastbound right lane of Airport between Eber and Garden roads will be closed until tomorrow for pavement repairs. Also, Eastgate Road will be closed at Airport Highway through Sept. 29 for reconstruction work at that intersection.

10. State Rt. 2: Two-way traffic is maintained in a work area at the Bono curve for road widening and addition of turn lanes, but westbound traffic will be closed beginning Oct. 3. Detour SR 579 to SR 51 to I-280.

11. Ohio Turnpike: Bridge widening between I-280 and I-75 may 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. Secor Road: Pavement rehabilitation closes the southbound lanes between Kenwood Boulevard and Bancroft Street until late this month. Use Douglas Road instead.

14.Jerome Road: Pavement reconstruction requires closing between River Road and Fallen Timbers Lane in Monclova Township beginning Monday through Sept. 28.

15. Telegraph Road (U.S. 24): Closed for bridge replacement between East Laskey and Crabb roads until Nov. 30. Detour via Crabb and East Laskey.

OFF THE MAP

I-75: Bridge repairs and pavement maintenance require lane closings north of Gibraltar, Mich., and between the Ohio-Michigan border and Rockwood, Mich.

U.S. 6/20: Lanes closed on Fremont bypass east of State Rt. 412 for culvert work until early October.

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: The Edison Bridge over Sandusky Bay is restricted to one lane each way until May for rehabilitation and widening. Embankment repairs restrict traffic to one lane each way west of the State Rt. 163 interchange in Port Clinton.

M-125: Closed north of Frenchtown Square Mall, Monroe, for a bridge replacement. Detour via U.S. 24.

State Rt. 696: Bridge over I-75 closed through next week for bridge deck work. Northbound and southbound approaches on I-75 narrow for shoulder work one mile south and north of bridge. Occasionally one-lane traffic during off-peak hours. Exit ramps open, but no access across bridge.

Contact the Road Warrior at: roadwarrior@theblade.com.