The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced on Friday that, after four years, the Nebraska Avenue bridge will open today, Monday, August 22.
"That's going to be a major access into downtown that I know everybody is anxious to start using again," said Kyle Ruedel, the ODOT District 2 project engineer to NBC24 in Ohio.
If that wasn't good enough news already, next Wednesday, ODOT will reopen the Northbound Anthony Wayne Trail ramp to northbound I-75 also.
The reopening of the projects doesn't only provide drivers with more routes throughout the city.
"We're adding a layer of safety and capacity to the downtown corridor overall with any of these openings. We've added wider sidewalks, multi-use paths, and the capacity to move people between downtown and the other side of the interstate," noted Ruedel.
Unfortunately, ODOT didn't have all good news about the construction going on in Toldeo.
The DiSalle Bridge isn't set to reopen until next year but ODOT wanted to let people know construction is moving forward, and safety is the top priority for the bridge construction.
"It seems like the construction's non-ending. Things are better. They're safer. And they're able to get home with more ease and with added safety," Ruedel said.
Brian French, the ODOT area engineer, added that regarding the DiSalle Bridge: "We're pretty close. The light's kind of flickering in it at the end of the tunnel. It's not a bright light yet but it's flickering. So, I think that's probably the biggest takeaway is that all this will be worthwhile when we get it done."
As the Nebraska Avenue Bridge opens today, ODOT and the State Highway Patrol caution that all drivers should drive diligently, as everyone gets used to the new traffic patterns on the bridge.
The construction of the DiSalle Bridge began in the summer of 2018, and costs a total of $352 million. The project entails widening and reconstructing I-75 to current standards, including reducing the curve between Wales Road and Miami Street, reconfiguring I-75 interchanges with the Anthony Wayne Trail, South Avenue, and Miami Street to enhance safety, and replacing the I-75 DiSalle Bridge over the Maumee River.
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Source: ODOT
