Project Update
Interstate 75 Reconstruction --Project 2, Allen County
Fourth Street to Ohio 81
- Ohio 117/309 Safety Upgrade
- Ohio 81 Reconstruction and Alignment
December 9, 2013
Ohio 117/309northbound entrance ramp to open today, southbound ramps to open Friday
Interstate 75
I-75 Mainline
- As oftoday (Monday, December 9) Interstate 75 northbound from Ohio 117/309 to Reservoir Road has been switched onto the new concrete pavement. Traffic on Interstate 75 will be one lane through the area of the Ohio 117/309 interchange today while crews move barrier wall to facilitate the switch. The restriction will be in place the majority of the day.
- On Friday, December 13, Interstate 75 southbound will be one lane through the Ohio 117/309 interchange area during daytime hours, also to facilitate a switch onto the new southbound concrete pavement.
- By the end of the day Friday, December 13, traffic both northbound and southbound on Interstate 75 will be traveling on new concrete pavement from just south of Fourth Street to Reservoir Road and then be transitioned back to the existing pavement.
- Construction of the noise walls along Interstate 75 between Ohio 117/309 and Reservoir Road is under way and will continue through the winter. Construction is taking place on the east side of the interstate first.
- Paving of asphalt in the median area between Ohio 81 and Stewart Road is complete.
- Embankment work between Ohio 81 and Reservoir is ongoing and will continue for the next several weeks. Motorists are cautioned to watch for trucks entering and exiting the zone.
- Occasional nighttime and daytime lane closures will continue on Interstate 75 throughout the zone from Fourth Street to Ohio 81 generally from 7 p.m. until approximately 10 a.m. the following day. Normal traffic patterns of two lanes in each direction will resume during daytime hours.
- Motorists should be aware that all entrance and exit ramp merge areas have been shortened throughout the project area. Drivers on Interstate 75 are encouraged to use the passing lane through the zone if they do not wish to exit. Signs advising this have been placed throughout the project area.
- Traffic cameras to view the construction area may be accessed at or at
- Please drive slowly through the construction zone.
Ohio 117/309 Interchange
- By the end of the day on Monday, December 9, the entrance ramp from Ohio 117/309 to northbound Interstate 75 will be opened.
- On Friday, December 13, the southbound entrance and exit ramps to and from Interstate 75 will open.
- The exit ramp from Interstate 75 northbound to Ohio 117/309 is open.
- Traffic on Ohio 117/309 from the interchange to Willard Avenue (Speedway) is now two lanes in each direction with a center turn lane at the ramp area. Traffic barrels in the area of the interchange will remain over the winter.
- Paving of concrete pavement has concluded for the year.
Fourth Street Interchange
- All ramps at the Fourth Street interchange are open.
Johnny Appleseed Bike Path
- The Johnny Appleseed bike path in the area of the CF&E Railroad under Interstate 75 is currently open.
- The path will close again in the future to allow for construction of the retaining walls at the bridge.
Ohio 117/309 Safety Upgrade Project
- All lanes of traffic are open between Ohio 117 (McDonald’s) and the Allen County Fairgrounds.
- Work on traffic signals will continue. Lane closures will be needed during this operation but are expected to be short in duration.
- All traffic barrels have been removed east of Ohio 117.
Ohio 81
- During the week of December 16, the Interstate 75 southbound exit ramp to Ohio 81 is expected toreopen, likely on Monday or Tuesday of that week. At that time, traffic both eastbound and westbound will be shifted onto the new concrete pavementfrom just west of Stewart Road to just west of Neubrecht Road. Traffic will remain one lane in each direction over the winter.
- The Ohio 81 northbound entrance and exit ramps to and from Interstate 75 are open.
- Work in the bridge area at Ohio 81 will continue through the winter.
- Traffic on Neubrecht Road approaching Ohio 81 has been switched onto the new pavement on the west side of the roadway. No change in traffic pattern has resulted.
About the I-75 Project Phases:
Project 2 will reconstruct the existing lanes of Interstate 75 from Fourth Street to just north of Ohio 81 in Lima. This phase also includes the reconstruction of the Fourth Street, Ohio 81 and Ohio 117/309 interchanges; a safety upgrade to Ohio 309 east of the Interstate 75 interchange; and the reconstruction and realignment of Ohio 81 from Neubrecht to Stewart Road. This phase is expected to be completed in 2015.
Project 1 of the Interstate 75 reconstruction project, which is the replacement of the Fourth Street and Reservoir Road bridges over Interstate 75 in Lima, was completed in the spring. Both structures were opened to traffic last fall. Project 3, from the Auglaize County line to Fourth Street, will begin in 2014. This phase also includes the reconstruction of the Breese Road and Ohio 65 interchanges as well as the replacement of the Hanthorn and McClain Road bridges over Interstate 75. The overall project is scheduled to be completed in 2016.
Project information may be found on Facebook at on Twitter, prefaced with #ODOTLima75, at and on the Web at
ODOT Contact Information
Scott Mullins, P.E., Area Engineer
419-999-6903;
Dan Kaseman, P.E., Planning and Engineering Administrator
419-999-6861;
Rhonda Pees, Public Information Officer
419-999-6803;
You are receiving this communication because you have either requested to be added to our distribution list, or have been identified by us as an entity which will be affected by the I-75 reconstruction project. Those on this distribution list will be provided project updates as they are issued during all phases of the project. If you wish to be removed from our list, please contact Rhonda Pees, public information officer, at
Thank you.