By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Ohio Turnpike will bring a pair of construction projects to Fulton County during the 2026 season, with resurfacing and bridge work expected to affect travel along the corridor for much of the year.
The announcement was made as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week, held April 20 through April 24, as the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission urged drivers to use caution in construction areas.
Turnpike officials said more than 1,000 workers will be on the road during the construction season and stressed the importance of slowing down, avoiding distractions and following posted traffic signs in work zones.
Statewide, the turnpike commission approved nearly $247 million in capital improvement projects for 2026. Of that total, about $170 million will go toward roadway and bridge work, including 114 lane miles of pavement improvements and a large amount of bridge maintenance and replacement work.
In Fulton County, one of the main projects will involve resurfacing all lanes and shoulders in both directions from milepost 33.7 to 38.9.
That project is already underway and is expected to be completed by Oct. 19, 2026. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained during the day, while drivers should expect single lane closures at night.
The second Fulton County project involves the mainline bridge over Bad Creek at milepost 41.3. The bridge will be widened to the inside, and the existing structures will receive new bridge decks.
That project is also underway and is expected to continue through Dec. 1, 2027. Throughout the work, two lanes of traffic in each direction are expected to remain open, though periodic single lane closures will take place during off-peak hours.
While the turnpike project list released this week does not include work in Williams County, the Fulton County improvements are likely to be of interest to drivers across both counties who regularly travel the Ohio Turnpike for work, business and recreation.
Turnpike officials said they will again try to keep two lanes of traffic open in all three lane sections during peak travel times to reduce delays.
Some single lane work zones will still be necessary, but those are expected to take place mostly during off-peak hours and overnight. business to attend to, the meeting was adjourned at 8:56 p.m.