I-490 Eastbound Ramp to I-77 Northbound to Close Overnight Thursday, October 8
I-490 Lane Closures Beneath the Ramp Saturday

Cleveland (Wednesday, October 7, 2009) – Work on Ohio’s first American Recovery & Reinvestment Act project – a $1.8 million investment to widen the ramp from I-490 eastbound to I-77 northbound and improve shoulders along several downtown Cleveland routes – will continue with the complete closure of the ramp overnight this Thursday, October 8.

Beginning at approximately 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 crews will close the I-490 eastbound ramp to I-77 northbound in order to pour the ramp’s concrete approach slabs.  The ramp will reopen at approximately 5 a.m. on Friday, October 9.

Motorists may detour via I-77 southbound and Harvard Ave.

This Saturday, October 10, crews will also close multiple lanes of I-490 beneath the ramp from approximately 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in order to continue work on the ramp above.

Closures will be postponed should inclement weather prohibit construction activities.

Crews work to widen the I-490 ramp, improving the substandard shoulder widths and allowing for an additional lane of traffic to travel into downtown Cleveland during restrictions or closures of the Innerbelt Bridge. The I-77/I- 490 interchange continues to see an increase in daily traffic as an alternative route during restrictions on the Innerbelt Bridge.   

In October 2008, ODOT engineers restricted traffic on the 50-year-old Innerbelt Bridge and rerouted heavy truck traffic after inspections revealed that a number of steel members were aging faster than expected.  In March 2009, ODOT announced it would build a new, five-lane, westbound I-90 Innerbelt Bridge with an investment of stimulus dollars.

All dates and times are approximate and weather dependent. 

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE ODOT DISTRICT 12 PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE:
Jocelynn Clemings 216.584.2006