A major highway construction project that will affect about 35,000 motorists using Akron’s central interchange will be on hold at least through this weekend, an Ohio Department of Transportation official said Friday.
The project was scheduled to begin Tuesday night, but ODOT called a halt to it, saying crucial signage was not in place. On Friday, an official said the contractor still had not met the safety specifications needed to close roads this weekend for the project.
“Not all the signs are up. They need to be posted and ready to go,” said ODOT spokesman Brent Kovacs. “If they can get some more signs up through the weekend we can take another look on Monday, and if they have all the safety measures up then we will re-evaluate a closure date.”
Officials said more than 100 signs are needed to cover all the road closings and detours. Stow-based Karvo Cos. is the primary contractor and is ultimately responsible for the subcontractor, A&A Safety.
A&A Safety, a sign company with a Cleveland office, is responsible for making and placing the signs.
Ethan Rogers, A&A Safety’s Northeast Ohio representative, declined to comment and referred questions to ODOT. Attempts to contact Karvo officials by phone and email were unsuccessful.
ODOT engineers who inspected the roads on Friday said many of the signs were still missing.
“We have a setup plan that tells you where each sign needs to be and what it [should say],” Kovacs said.
He said engineers will inspect the area again on Monday to determine the next course of action.
“We can close [the roadway] anytime, once signs are in place,” Kovacs said, “but it’s not like if we find signs are in place we’ll close in 10 minutes. We’ll give people plenty of notice. I don’t know how much notice, but at least hours.”
The proposed construction project is massive and expected to last for three or four months.
Motorists northbound on Interstate 77 and southbound on state Route 8 will not be able to go through the central interchange onto westbound Interstate 76. The southbound I-77 lane through the central interchange will also close. The two one-lane ramps from northbound I-77 and southbound Route 8 will eventually be closed for bridge removal.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.