Residents can voice ideas at Fields-Ertel meeting

A meeting to discuss the multiple improvements taking place at the Fields-Ertel and Mason Montgomery Road interchange at Interstate 71 offers the opportunity for area residents to provide feedback on a multimillion project.

Scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Deerfield Twp. trustees meeting room, 4900 Parkway Drive, Suite 180, Deerfield Twp. , the meeting will be held in an open house format.

A brief presentation and question and answer session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., but the public may arrive at any time during the scheduled event.

The project was designed to ease congestion, expand access to business and shopping and improve safety for all who travel through the area.

“We are making phased improvements that will gradually and successfully address traffic issues in the Fields-Ertel area,” said Warren County Engineer Neil Tunison. “Work has already begun in the Fields-Ertel and Mason-Montgomery Road area, and will continue in phases over the next several years.”

Work that has already been completed in the area includes an additional northbound lane from Fields-Ertel to Parkway Drive that has helped ease congestion, as well as the coordination of 22 traffic signals in the area, where upgraded computer controllers within the traffic signals allows signal timing to be coordinated more effectively so that traffic flows more easily, Tunison said.

The new interchange will feature a loop ramp that allow northbound traffic on Interstate 71 to bypass the Fields- Ertel/Mason-Montgomery intersection and exit I-71 further north of the existing interchange.

There also will be a exit lane expansion at the northbound I-71 exit to create more separation between freeway and exiting traffic.

Also to be constructed will be an additional right turn lane onto Mason-Montgomery Road from the southbound I-71 exit and access Management improvements at Fields-Ertel and Gregory Road.

The interchange project has received broad-based regional support from multiple organizations. Partners include the Transportation Improvement Districts of Hamilton and Warren counties, the engineers’ offices of Hamilton and Warren counties, Deerfield Twp., Symmes Twp., the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.

All aspects of the project have been fully-funded.

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