Garfield Heights (Wednesday, September 1, 2010) – Safety crews with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) continue to evaluate the Interstate 90 eastbound overpass crossing I-271 in Willoughby Hills, following concerns raised this morning about the temporary construction supports of the structure.  The temporary support is needed as planned and designed to stabilize the structure during the phased construction.  

This morning ODOT engineers detected a minor deflection of the structure caused by settling of the soil beneath temporary construction supports, which is difficult to accurately predict.  A movement this slight would go unnoticed by drivers passing over the structure, but ODOT safety experts decided to take traffic off the overpass until further analysis could be completed.  

While ODOT engineers hope to restore traffic this evening, at this time the overpass will remain closed.

Since this closure impacted rush hour traffic ODOT alerted motorists of the closure via ODOT’s Cleveland Twitter page at ODOT_Cleveland. 

Crews have been working since July 12, 2010 to replace the I-90 eastbound overpass crossing I-271, as part of a $1.9 million project in Willoughby Hills.  The entire project is expected to be complete on, or around, October 31, 2010.

All dates and times are approximate and weather dependent.  For statewide construction and road condition information visit us on Twitter and www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.

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For more information contact:
The ODOT District 12 Communications Office at 216.312.0081