(PRESS RELESE) BEREA, Ohio (April 16, 2024) – The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is urging motorists to be self-aware of dangerous behaviors behind the wheel – such as aggressive and distracted driving – especially in work zones to reduce crashes.
“Raising awareness of work zone safety to protect motorists and our maintenance and roadway crews during the nine-month highway construction season is a top priority,” said Chris Matta, chief engineer/deputy executive director for the turnpike commission. “By eliminating dangerous driving behaviors, most vehicle crashes are preventable.”
To protect roadway construction workers, the turnpike commission is urging motorists to drive safely in-and-around work zones by:
Establishing a safe following distance; Obeying the work zone speed limit (because of reduced lane widths, traffic lane shifts, and narrow shoulders); Avoiding distractions; Paying attention to signs; and
Being prepared to slow down or stop.
This year, the turnpike commission has a budget of about $254 million for capital improvement projects across the 241-mile toll road. This figure includes nearly $238 million for projects beginning in 2024 and completing prior year projects.
More than $162 million of the 2024 capital plan is allocated for roadway and bridge projects. About 92 lane miles of pavement will be resurfaced, the pavement at a toll plaza interchange will be reconstructed, and an extensive amount of work will be performed on 26 bridges.
“To limit delays for travelers on the Ohio Turnpike, we strive to maintain two lanes of traffic in all three lane sections of the turnpike during peak travel times,” Matta added. “Some single lane work zones will be necessary but will occur mostly during off-peak travel times or at night.”
Here are the construction projects scheduled for 2024 in Williams and Fulton County.
WILLIAMS COUNTY
As part of the new toll collection system, which was implemented at 2:14 a.m. EDT on April 10, 2024, the old Westgate Toll Plaza (milepost 2) in Williams County will be removed.
The toll booths and toll lanes will be replaced with pavement. The work will be completed using phased maintenance of traffic with two lanes open in each direction during most of the work. The project runs from April 2024 to November 2024.
In addition, pavement resurfacing from milepost 14 to milepost 27 will continue. The work will be completed from April 2024 to November 2024. Traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel during off-peak hours.
FULTON COUNTY
Toll Plaza 34 (Wauseon), which connects to state Route 108, in Fulton County was closed for pavement replacement on April 15, 2024, and will reopen on or before Aug. 24, 2024.
Additionally, four overhead bridges in Fulton County will close for construction. Township Road 22 bridge (milepost 27.3) will be raised; and Township Road 17 bridge (milepost 32.2), Township Road 12-1 bridge (milepost 37.1), and Township Road 3 bridge (milepost 46.4) will receive new concrete decks.
The work on the bridges is underway and is expected to be completed by November 2024. Motorists can follow the posted detour signs.
