TOLEDO, Ohio — Beginning Monday, the Lime City Road bridge crossing I-75 in Rossford will be closed for repairs, a closure that will last the next four months.
The closure is a result of an incident in February 2023, when a semi-truck, traveling on I-75, hit the overpass from underneath. At that point, traffic on the bridge was reduced to one lane, instead of two.
Keslie Hoagland, the Ohio Department of Transportation's public information officer, explained why roadwork on the bridge is essential and described the way by which the repairs would occur.
"It's been a very long process," Hoagland said. "This includes putting in very tiny shelves. Think about leveling a table, with maybe little shelves that you're putting in little slots or something. So it's really a similar process to raise this bridge's elevation."
According to Hoagland, raising the bridge will ensure that trucks can fit under it and minimize the risk of another truck hitting it. While the closure will affect many drivers in the area, she encouraged the public to inform themselves about detours.
"There is an official detour that people will be able to take," she said. "Unfortunately, this closure is going to extend into the start of the school year for Penta, so we have been in coordination, and they're aware of these impacts."
Hoagland emphasized the collaborative effort between the community and the Ohio Department of Transportation, including local churches, a school and businesses in the area. This partnership was crucial in alerting them about the project's impact on travel.
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"We are expecting a mid-October completion for the total closure, then there will still be some remaining finish work once they reopen the roadway," Hoagland said.
ODOT said drivers can use the Buck Road exit to circumvent the closure. The major north and south detour will be Glenwood Road.
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