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Many freeway ramps to close at once
GIRARD
A host of long-term Interstate 80-widening-related ramp closures, some lasting a year or more, will begin July 11, the Ohio Department of Transportation has announced.
The closures are occurring as part of a $91.5 million widening of Interstate 80 from four to six lanes between state Routes 11 and 193, which is slated for completion by late July 2018.
“There’s a lot of work to do. We’re rebuilding the pavement from the dirt up. There’s a lot of bridge replacements on these ramps, and, in addition, we’re widening the ramps,” said Brent Kovacs, ODOT public information officer, explaining the long duration of the closures.
“The reason they’re all happening at once is so we can get in and out as quickly as possible,” he added.
It’s also safer for road-construction crews to completely close a ramp to traffic than to maintain traffic on it while working on half of the ramp at a time, Kovacs said.
The detours will be well-marked with signs, he said.
“Is there going to be inconvenience? Absolutely,” said Mayor James Melfi of Girard. “It’s well worth it.”
The impact of the ramp closures on local businesses is “yet to be determined,” he said. “Do I have concerns for those businesses? Yes,” he added.
“It’s a huge investment, and it’s the right investment” in a major local infrastructure improvement, Melfi said.
The project is creating construction jobs for local workers and giving the local economy a boost, he noted.
The project will lengthen the on-ramp from U.S. Route 422 to Interstate 80 westbound to allow safer acceleration to highway speeds, he said.
Melfi said Girard residents will benefit from installation of freeway noise barrier walls on the north side of Interstate 80, which are included in this project.
Here are the closures:
The ramp from state Route 46 in Austintown to Interstate 80 eastbound will be closed through late August of this year. The detour will be state Route 46 to Mahoning Avenue to state Route 11 northbound.
The ramp from Interstate 80 eastbound to U.S. Route 422 in Girard will be closed through July 2017. The detour will be Interstate 680 southbound to state Route 711 northbound to U.S. Route 422.
The following will be closed through September 2017:
The ramp from U.S. Route 422 to Interstate 80 westbound. The detour will be U.S. Route 422 to state Route 711 southbound to Interstate 680 northbound to Interstate 80 westbound.
The ramp from state Route 711 northbound to Interstate 80 eastbound. The detour will be Gypsy Lane eastbound to state Route 193 (Belmont Avenue) to Interstate 80 eastbound.
The ramp from Interstate 80 eastbound to state Route 11 northbound. The detour will be Interstate 680 southbound to state Route 711 northbound to state Route 11 northbound.
The ramp from state Route 11 southbound to Interstate 80 eastbound. The detour will be state Route 711 southbound to Gypsy Lane eastbound to state Route 193 (Belmont Avenue).
Also beginning July 11, until further notice, eastbound traffic on Interstate 80 between Salt Springs Road and U.S. Route 422 will be shifted by a crossover to the westbound lanes.
Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction with all traffic using the westbound lanes.
The ramp from state Route 11 northbound to Interstate 80 westbound remains closed through early August 2016 for bridge construction.
The detour is Mahoning Avenue to state Route 46 north to Interstate 80 westbound.
ODOT will distribute brochures this week to businesses in Girard and at the state Route 46 and Interstate 80 interchange in Austintown concerning the ramp closures, their duration and the detours, Kovacs said.
It will also spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, he said.
“You’ll see reduced congestion and improved safety” on Interstate 80 when the widening is completed, Kovacs said.
“This section of road is a major connector between Chicago and New York, and it has a lot of truck traffic on it,” Kovacs said, adding that it ranks in the top five truck traffic areas in Ohio.