All road construction on the interchanges of Interstate 275 and state Route 32 is expected to be completed by Labor Day.

All road construction on the interchanges of Interstate 275 and state Route 32 is expected to be completed by Labor Day.
By Megan Alley
Sun staff

The southbound lanes of Interstate 275 in Eastgate are set to reopen by July 4, and all road construction work on I-275/state Route 32 interchanges is set to wrap up by Labor Day.

“We’re well on track to be done early,” said Jason Haus, Clermont County resident engineer for the Ohio Department of Transportation in the monthly Clermont County Transportation Improvement District meeting on June 12.

“I can assure you that you’re probably getting calls from people who think we’re not doing anything, but that is pretty far from the truth.”

Currently, drivers traveling southbound on I-275 drive in a contraflow lane on the northbound side. When construction is completed early next month, southbound traffic will no longer be switched to the northbound side, according to Sharon Smigelski, public information officer for the ODOT.

As part of the finished project, drivers wanting to travel southbound on I-275 from westbound state Route 32 will start using the existing circle ramp that was closed in 2014.

This will eliminate the temporary need for drivers to turn left at the western ramp signal, according to Smigelski.

“With the reopening of this circle ramp and the elimination of the temporary southbound entrance ramp, dirt work will be completed on the flyover ramp,” Smigelski said in an email.

Drivers wanting to go northbound on I-275 from eastbound state Route 32 will still need to turn left onto the temporary ramp until the eastbound to northbound circle ramp is reopened in mid-July.

When both circle ramps are opened and the flyover ramp is completed, ODOT will begin resurfacing the project roadways from Glen Este-Withamsville Road to Old 74 on the west end, according to Smigelski.

“Once all pavement work has been completed on the project, the flyover ramp and tunnel will be open to traffic concurrently,” said Smigeleski in an email. “Currently we are looking to have everything open to traffic prior to the Labor Day holiday.”

Smigeleski added that the westbound left turn to Old 74/Rust lane will not reopen, stating that access from westbound state Route 32 to Rust lane is being eliminated with a future project.  No changes will occur to the north side of Old 74, and that leg of the intersection will stay in place.