The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is urging motorists to be self-aware of dangerous behaviors behind the wheel — such as aggressive and distracted driving — especially in work zones, to reduce crashes.
"Raising awareness of work zone safety to protect motorists and our maintenance and roadway crews during the nine-month highway construction season is a top priority," said Chris Matta, chief engineer/deputy executive director for the turnpike commission. "By eliminating dangerous driving behaviors, most vehicle crashes are preventable."
To protect roadway construction workers, the turnpike commission is urging motorists to drive safely in-and-around work zones by:
- establishing a safe following distance;
- obeying the work zone speed limit (because of reduced lane widths, traffic lane shifts and narrow shoulders);
- avoiding distractions;
- paying attention to signs; and
- being prepared to slow down or stop.
This year, the turnpike commission has a budget of about $254 million for capital improvement projects across the 241-mi. toll road. This figure includes nearly $238 million for projects beginning in 2024 and completing prior year projects.
More than $162 million of the 2024 capital plan is allocated for roadway and bridge projects. About 92 lane miles of pavement will be resurfaced, the pavement at a toll plaza interchange will be reconstructed, and an extensive amount of work will be performed on 26 bridges.
"To limit delays for travelers on the Ohio Turnpike, we strive to maintain two lanes of traffic in all three lane sections of the turnpike during peak travel times," Matta said. "Some single lane work zones will be necessary but will occur mostly during off-peak travel times or at night."
Here is the list of construction projects by county (west to east) in 2024:
Williams County
As part of the new toll collection system, which was implemented on April 10, 2024, the old Westgate Toll Plaza (milepost 2) in Williams County will be removed. The toll booths and toll lanes will be replaced with pavement. The work will be completed using phased maintenance of traffic with two lanes open in each direction during most of the work. The project runs from April 2024 to November 2024.
In addition, pavement resurfacing from milepost 14 to milepost 27 will continue. The work will be completed from April 2024 to November 2024. Traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel during off-peak hours.
Fulton County
Toll Plaza 34 (Wauseon), which connects to state Route 108, in Fulton County was closed for pavement replacement on April 15, 2024, and will reopen on or before Aug. 24, 2024.
Additionally, four overhead bridges in Fulton County will close for construction. Township Road 22 bridge (milepost 27.3) will be raised; and Township Road 17 bridge (milepost 32.2), Township Road 12-1 bridge (milepost 37.1), and Township Road 3 bridge (milepost 46.4) will receive new concrete decks.
The work on the bridges is under way and is expected to be completed by November 2024. Motorists can follow the posted detour signs.
Lucas County
There will be one mainline pavement resurfacing project in Lucas County in 2024. All lanes and shoulders will be resurfaced from milepost 51 to milepost 55.
The project will be completed between May 2024 and November 2024.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel during off-peak driving hours.
Sandusky County
Four bridge deck replacements and one bridge removal will occur in Sandusky County this year.
The mainline bridge over Waggoner Road at milepost 83.3 will be redecked, and the mainline bridge over the abandoned railroad at milepost 83.3 will be removed.
Two lanes of traffic will be maintained during the two-year project, which runs from May 2024 to November 2025.
The overhead bridges at Fought Road (milepost 86.6), Shannon Road (milepost 93), Carley Road (milepost 94.7), and Northwest/Southwest Road (milepost 106.1) also will be redecked in 2024.
The construction period runs from May 2024 to November 2025.
These bridges will be closed with local detour signs for motorists to follow.
Erie County
Three bridge decks will be replaced in Erie County.
The Ohio Turnpike's mainline bridge over Skadden Road/state Route 99 (milepost 111.2) will be redecked.
Two lanes of traffic will be maintained during the project, which runs from April 2024 to November 2024.
The overhead bridges at Township Road 102 (milepost 107.5) and Mudbrook Road/state Route 13 (milepost 119.3) will be closed and detoured for deck replacements.
Construction is scheduled in 2024 and 2025.
Lorain County
Three bridge decks will be removed and replaced in Lorain County.
The onramp to Interstate 80 east at Toll Plaza 152 (North Olmsted-Cleveland) will close from April 17, 2024, to August 2024, to begin work on a mainline bridge at milepost 152.1 eastbound that runs above the onramp. The eastbound offramp on the Ohio Turnpike to Lorain Road (state Route 10) will remain open.
Motorists planning to travel eastbound on the Ohio Turnpike that normally enter from Lorain Road can follow the posted detour signs: Lorain Road north to I-480 east to I-71 south to Toll Plaza 161 (Strongsville-Cleveland).
The Ohio Turnpike's mainline bridge at milepost 152.3 eastbound over Lorain Road will be redecked as well. Two eastbound lanes on the mainline will be maintained during the project, which runs from April 2024 to November 2025.
The Bagley Road bridge that runs above the Ohio Turnpike at milepost 152.9 will close from April 29, 2024, through October 2024. Motorists can follow the posted detour signs.
Summit, Portage Counties
The bridge replacement project over Tinkers Creek at milepost 185.6 in Summit and Portage counties will continue this year. Construction will continue through 2024, and resume in 2025 and 2026. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained during the project.
Other projects this year in Portage County include concrete bridge deck replacements at the mainline bridge over state Route 43 (milepost 188.2) and the mainline bridge over Bryant Road/Township Road 236 (milepost 202.8).
The mainline bridge at N. Main St. (milepost 203.7) in Portage County, as part of its rehabilitation, will have a deck overlay performed to repair the concrete surface.
Two lanes of traffic will be maintained on the Ohio Turnpike mainline during the projects, which runs from April 2024 to November 2025.
Mahoning County
Bridge replacement, mainline resurfacing, and the completion of pavement work at Eastgate Toll Plaza (milepost 239) will occur in Mahoning County in 2024.
The overhead bridge at Boardman-Canfield Road/U.S. Route 224 (milepost 227.6) will be replaced during the 2024 and 2025 construction seasons. The existing bridge will be replaced in phases. Traffic will be maintained during the bridge replacement.
All eastbound and westbound lanes and shoulders will be resurfaced from milepost 230 to milepost 236. Traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on the mainline during off- peak driving hours. Resurfacing will take place from May 2024 through November 2024.
Additionally, modifications to Eastgate Toll Plaza and related pavement work will be completed during the 2024 construction season. This includes the construction of the open road tolling lanes for westbound traffic.
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