BORDERLAND

Potholes close 2 lanes of NB I-75 near downtown

2/8/2014

Two of four lanes are likely to be closed until at least Tuesday on northbound I-75 near downtown Toledo because of worsening potholes, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced Friday.

Pavement conditions led ODOT to close the right and right-center lanes between Collingwood Boulevard, near the Toledo Museum of Art, and the I-475 “Jeep Split” junction Friday afternoon. The lane closings caused traffic to back up past the Wales Road interchange in Northwood during Friday evening’s rush hour.

The Detroit Avenue entrance to northbound I-75 also was closed, with traffic detoured via Monroe Street to the Collingwood entrance.

Theresa Pollick, an ODOT spokesman in Bowling Green, said the closings are in effect “until further notice,” with Tuesday being the soonest for any reopening. ODOT hopes to persuade one or more Toledo-area asphalt plants to open next week to supply hot-mix material for pavement repairs, because potholes are becoming so large that cold patching mix is no longer effective, Ms. Pollick said.

The part of I-75 involved is to be rebuilt in a two-year project set to get under way this spring.