Motorists are getting a reprieve from shutdowns at Akron’s central interchange.
Late last night, the Ohio Department of Transportation posted on Twitter and Facebook that ramp closures have been postponed until further notice for the ramp from I-77 northbound to I-76 westbound and the ramp from state Route 8 southbound to I-76 westbound.
Beacon Journal news partner newsnet5.com reported that road closure signs were not put in place by the time roads were scheduled to close overnight.
The contractor in charge of putting up road closure signs started installing the signs Tuesday evening and then realized it did not have enough manpower and equipment to get all of the signs in place in time for construction to start, ODOT spokesman Justin Chesnic said Wednesday morning.
“They just weren’t able to get them up in time,” he said.
He did not name the contractor but said, “They are in charge of putting the signs up.”
Chesnic said he did not know this morning when the construction shutdowns will start. The spokesperson said ODOT has a meeting scheduled with the contractor early Wednesday afternoon to find out what happened and when work can begin.
ODOT said it expects to make a statement on the construction project following the meeting, likely around 3 p.m.
Read the newsnet5.com report here.
About 35,000 motorists using downtown Akron’s central interchange each workday were expected to find new routes for the morning commute. The two one-lane ramps from northbound I-77 and southbound Route 8 will eventually be closed for bridge removal, which could last nearly four months.
The 35,000 motorists is the same number as on the Ohio Turnpike in Hudson — going both directions, on six lanes.
Suggested alternates for I-77 northbound will be the I-277/U.S. 224 bypass, or main arteries into downtown, among them South Main and Arlington streets.
The suggested alternate for Route 8 southbound to West Akron is the Perkins Street/Route 59/Innerbelt. To Barberton and points west, the best route is to continue on I-77 south to the I-277/U.S. 224 bypass.
No other updates have been announced about ODOT’s earlier announcement that beginning Wednesday night, the southbound I-77 ramp through the interchange also would close. Follow www.Ohio.com on Wednesday for updates to traffic conditions. For real-time traffic flow, see www.ohgo.com.
Through August, there also will be rolling lane and ramp closings on I-76 east of the central interchange to the Akron city limits, on I-76 in Barberton and Norton, and on state Route 8 north of Cuyahoga Falls.