Timeline: What can the public expect?
Stage One
- Construction is scheduled to begin in March of 2010
- The northbound Albany Street ramp will permanently close in early April of 2010
- The southbound Albany Street ramp will permanently close in midsummer of 2010
- Very few lane closures are expected
- Crews will focus on shoulder work and temporary road widening on the east side the highway
Stage Two
- Southbound I-75 will close for nine months to rebuild and widen a portion of the bridge over Washington Street
- All traffic will be diverted to the northbound side of I-75 to construct the new southbound side, two lanes of traffic will remain open in both directions
- The I-75 closure could start as early as November 2010 or later into in the Winter according to contractor scheduling
- This closure will close I-75 S to US 35 east and US 35 west
- During the nine month closure traffic will continue south on I-75 to Edwin C. Moses Boulevard using a specially constructed continuous U turn lane to merge onto I-75 north and access US 35 east and US 35 west
Stage Three
- US 35 west ramp to northbound I-75 will close for 9 months
- US 35 east ramp to northbound I-75 will close for 9 months
- All traffic will be diverted to the southbound side of I-75 to construct the new northbound side
- Drivers will use the specially constructed continuous U turn lane to merge onto I-75 north and access US 35 east and US 35 west
Completion
- All lanes will be in final alignment and open to traffic before Winter 2012
- Crews will be back in Spring of 2013 to put down final layer of asphalt and road striping
Other Provisions
- Local Streets will be closed periodically throughout the project to build overpasses. These closures will be scheduled on alternating dates so that drivers still have access routes.
- Road work directly affecting the University of Dayton will be scheduled to specifically avoid major sporting events such as tournament games.
- Crews will post signs for motorists rerouting traffic from the Albany ramps to the Edwin C. Moses ramps.
- Edwin C. Moses ramps will remain open through the three year project.
- There are no conflicts with Phase 1A of this project due to the distance between construction sites.
DAYTON — Get ready for orange barrels, closed ramps and a “continuous U-turn” lane on Interstate 75 in Dayton.
The Ohio Department of Transportation announced the newest phase of the I-75 modernization plan Thursday, Feb. 18. The most noticeable aspect will be a continuous U-turn loop for drivers on U.S. 35 to go north on I-75 when those ramps are closed next year.
The work will result in three continuous through lanes on I-75 in the area of U.S. 35 to increase safety and decrease congestion.
The second stage of the I-75 project begins in March and lasts until June 2013. The first part of that will close the Albany Street ramps and widen I-75 on the east side. Then comes the U-turn near UD Arena.
“We’ve incorporated a unique feature into the project,” said Rex Dickey, the Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 7 deputy director. “That consists of a specially constructed U-turn lane, which will allow traffic to get back to 35 by making just a short detour.”
In 2011, southbound traffic will be shifted to the northbound side, and I-75 south to U.S. 35 east and U.S. 35 west will be closed. During the nine-month span, traffic will continue south on I-75 to Edwin C. Moses Boulevard. The continuous U-turn lane will merge onto I-75 north so drivers can access U.S. 35 east and west.
After that is finished, U.S. 35’s west and east ramps to northbound I-75 will close for nine months while that section is rebuilt. Drivers again will use the continuous U-turn.
“We think people will catch on pretty quickly,” Dickey said. “If we really felt it was going to be a dangerous situation, we wouldn’t even attempt it. ”
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