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U.S. Route 224 bridge lanes in Boardman to reopen next week
BOARDMAN
The eastbound lanes of the bridge on U.S. Route 224 near its intersection with Interstate 680 will reopen Friday, according to an Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman, after months in which one side of the bridge was closed for construction.
“We’re finishing up with the widening work on the bridge, with hopes to open the road completely by ... Friday,” said Brent Kovacs, ODOT District 4 spokesman. “The permanent restrictions that we have right now will be done.”
Kovacs cautioned, however, that lane closures will continue until late October as other aspects of the project are completed, such as paving, sealing the concrete on the bridge, placing new signs and installing new lighting.
The project, which includes the bridge widening, installation of a T-intersection and culvert replacement, began in July 2013 and is being done at a cost of $5.4 million.
Installation of the T-intersection, which features a traffic light at the 680 southbound exit to 224 eastbound and westbound, was completed at the end of June. This is only temporary — once the project is complete drivers will only be able to go westbound at the I-680 southbound exit.
Before the installation of the traffic light at the intersection, there were two exits for 224 eastbound and westbound.
Instead of merging into traffic, motorists now turn left onto 224 eastbound or right onto 224 westbound from a single 680 exit.
The goal of the project is “to increase the safety of that intersection, in addition to helping alleviate congestion in that area,” Kovacs had said earlier.
The bridge widening includes a new lane in each direction.
Partially reopening the eastbound side of the bridge will help with traffic congestion, Kovacs said.
The project is on track to be completed, with no further lane closures, at the end of October.