INDEPENDENCE — The Ohio Department of Transportation is ramping up its construction season by closing two major ramps along I-480.
The ramp from I-480 east to I-77 north is closing Monday. The ramp from I-480 west to I-77 south will close on Tuesday. Both ramps will be closed until September.
It's causing a bit of a panic for drivers like Tam Wisniewski.
"I heard about it a couple of months ago," she said. "I called my husband right away, and I was like 'Oh no! They're doing a lot of closings. Where are we going to go?'"
Wisniewski and her husband use those ramps to get from Parma to Tremont. Now, they're just two of an estimated 16,000 motorists affected by the closure.
"I'm just thinking about the delays that it's going to cause for the future," Wisniewski said. "Because I imagine there's going to be a lot more traffic for the foreseeable future."
ODOT is certainly expecting delays, but they say closing both ramps is the most effective and efficient way to fix potholes and repair the bridge deck.
"Anyone who drives these bridges knows that there's a bunch of potholes on them," ODOT Public Information Officer Brent Kovacs said. "It has come time for us to repair the driving surface on both of these bridges."
With so many people rerouting their morning commute, ODOT is making some changes to some popular detours to limit the disruptions.
"We're going to be changing some of the timings of the traffic signals on Transportation Boulevard," Kovacs said. "We're also opening a previously closed ramp on Brook Park Road to go eastbound."
Eastbound drivers will need to get off at Transportation Boulevard and get back on 480 to get to 77 South. Westbound drivers will need to turn around and get back on 480 at Brook Park Road.
Wisniewski said she'll be packing her patience these next few months and holding on to the hope that these ramps will be open sooner rather than later.
"Maybe they'll get it done a bit quicker than what they're saying," she said. "Which would be nice, but gotta be patient until then."The Ohio Department of Transportation is ramping up its construction season by closing two major ramps along I-480.
