OHIO, USA — With the spring season just days away, The Ohio Department of Transportation is gearing up for this year’s “construction season” along northwest Ohio highways.
ODOT kicked off the official 2023 construction season on Wednesday, March 15, citing several improvements they plan to make. Although seeing orange barrels seems like a long-standing traffic tradition in our area, these projects are very important for the department to complete to improve overall transportation and make roads safer across the state.
When referring to ODOT’s plans for Ohio’s highways, Gov. Mike DeWine expressed optimism for the outcomes:
“There is no better place to be than right here in Ohio, and these new projects will help us keep our infrastructure in a good state of repair,” said Gov. DeWine. “Everyone in our state benefits from safe roads, and I am looking forward to seeing the end results of this year’s roadway improvement projects.”
According to ODOT, they expect to invest a record total $2.5 billion into more than 1,000 projects statewide. The highlighted tasks include 31 major projects, 190 safety projects, more than 5,700 miles of pavement and the repair or replacement of 823 bridges.
Here's a complete list of the projects with travel impacts ODOT is working on in northwest Ohio for 2023, organized by district and county:
DISTRICT 1
Allen County
State Route 66
Full depth reconstruction
Estimated begin: March 2023
Estimated end: Nov. 2023
Traffic impacts: Daily lane closures.
Guardrail improvements
Estimated begin: April 2023
Estimated end: May 2023
Traffic impacts: Temporary lane closures on various routes.
SR 81: Resurfacing
Estimated begin: May 2023
Estimated end: Aug. 2023
Traffic impacts: Daily lane closures.
Hancock County
US 30: Resurfacing
Estimated begin: May 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Temporary lane closures.
SR 15: Intersection improvement
Estimated begin: April 2023
Estimated end: Nov. 2023
Traffic impacts: Traffic will be detoured.
Hardin County
SR 67: Resurfacing
Estimated begin: May 2023
Estimated end: Sept. 2023
Traffic impacts: Daily lane closures.
SR 31: Resurfacing
Estimated begin: June 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Daily lane closures.
Putnam County
SR 65: Bridge replacement
Estimated begin: June 2023
Estimated end: Aug. 2023
Traffic impacts: Traffic will be detoured.
Van Wert County
US 224: Culvert replacements
Estimated begin: April 2023
Estimated end: Sept. 2023
Traffic impacts: Traffic will be detoured.
Wyandot County
SR 67: Bridge repair
Estimated begin: Sept. 2023
Estimated end: Nov. 2023
Traffic impacts: Traffic will be detoured.
NW Ohio District 1: 2023 projects
DISTRICT 2
Fulton County
US Route 20; US Route 20A: Paint structural steel on both bridges
Estimated start: Sept. 2023
Estimated end: Aug. 2024
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are expected.
Henry County
SR 108 at US Route 6/24: Construct a roundabout
Estimated begin: June 2023
Estimated end: February 2024
Traffic impacts: A 45-day closure is required. Traffic will be detoured.
US Route 6: Paint structural steel on bridge
Construction began: May 2023
Estimated end: Sept. 2023
Traffic Impacts: Lane restrictions are expected.
Lucas County
I-475: Construct a new interchange at US Route 20A in Maumee and widen I-475 to three lanes
Construction began: July 2022
Estimated end: Dec. 2024
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions and closures are expected.
SR 2/Airport Highway: Intersection improvements
Estimated start: March 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are expected. Business access will be maintained.
I-475/US Route 23: Construct noise walls on/near I-475 split north to Michigan state line.
Construction began: Feb. 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions and ramp closures are necessary.
SR 120/Central Avenue: Bridge replacement over the Ottawa River
Estimated start: March 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: A 150-day closure is required. Traffic will be detoured. Wildwood Park entrances remain open.
US Route 24/AW Trail: Resurface, intersection improvements and install a bike path.
Construction began: Jan. 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are expected.
SR 184/Alexis Road: Bridge replacement on Alexis Road over Shantee/Silver Creek
Construction began: March 2022
Estimated end: May 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions and local road closures are required.
Various locations (includes Ottawa County)
Electrical maintenance for three bridges and four water pump stations
Contract began: Jan. 2022
Contract end: Dec. 2022
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are expected.
Operations for the Craig Bridge in Toledo and the Port Clinton Lift Bridge in Ottawa County
Contract began: Jan. 2022
Contract ends: Dec. 2022
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions may be necessary.
Ottawa County
SR 2: Resurface SR 2 and rehab two bridges
Estimated start: Sept. 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2024
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are required.
SR 53: Construct roundabout; widen SR 53 from State Road to SR 163
Estimated start: Sept. 2023
Estimated end: Dec. 2024
Traffic impacts: 260-day closure will start after Labor Day. Traffic will be detoured.
Sandusky County
US Route 20: Resurface between Woodville and Fremont
Estimated start: April 2023
Estimated end: Sept. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are required.
State Route 19: Resurface between Fremont and the Ottawa county line
Estimated start: May 2023
Estimated end: Sept. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are required.
State Route 53: Resurface SR 53 between the Turnpike and the Ottawa County line
Estimated start: July 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are required.
Seneca County
US Route 23: Culvert replacement at Wolf Creek
Estimated start: May 2022
Estimated end: Sept. 2022
Traffic impacts: A 30-day closure is necessary. Traffic will be detoured.
US Route 23/SR 18: Resurface sections of state roadway in Fostoria
Estimated start: July 2023
Estimated end: Sept. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions and minor closures are required.
SR 19: Replace two bridges over Muddy Creek and Fishing Creek
Estimated start: April 2022
Estimated end: Sept. 2022
Traffic impacts: A 45-day closure over Fishing Creek; traffic will be detoured. Lane restrictions required over Muddy Creek.
Wood County
I-75
Reconstruct I-75 between Wales Road and South Avenue
Construction Began: Aug. 2018
Estimated end: Summer 2023
Traffic impacts: Long-term ramp and lane closures and restrictions are required.
Resurface I-75 from SR 199 to Glenwood
Estimated start: Sept. 2023
Estimated end: Aug. 2024
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are required.
SR 25: Full-depth reconstruction between US 6 and Cygnet Road
Construction began: March 2022
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Closed to thru traffic in 2022 and 2023, except winter. Traffic is detoured. Residential access maintained.
Lime City Road over I-75: Emergency repair for Lime City Road bridge over I-75
Estimated start: July 2023
Estimated end: Oct. 2023
Traffic impacts: Lane restrictions are required.
