Highway crews restore vital Transportation
links following Severe weather Damage

Columbus (Friday, September 17, 2010) – As portions of Ohio received an onslaught of severe weather last night, highway workers from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) have been out in full-force assisting local towns and villages to ensure transportation infrastructure is safe and navigable for emergency personal and residents.

Yesterday afternoon, the National Weather Service reported tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm watches for northeast, central and southeast Ohio.

Highway maintenance will be focusing their efforts on cleaning debris off of state highways, replacing destroyed safety signs such as stop signs and one-way signs, and providing other cleanup support throughout today, tonight and into parts of next week.

Following a reported tornado touching down in Wooster last night, State Route 83 was closed until this morning as ODOT crews worked diligently to restore connections to this vital highway.

Similarly, ODOT crews in Athens County have been out working since 8 p.m. last night to open State Route 682 through The Plains, where 15 homes were devastated by severe winds and thunderstorms.

In an effort to provide support to all modes of transportation, ODOT also checked with airports, port authorities, transit authorities and the freight railroads in the most heavily damaged areas. No damages have been reported to these essential transportation links.

As cleaning continues, crews throughout the state will work with local emergency and enforcement agencies to restore safe and efficient travel on all modes of the state’s transportation system.

 For more information contact:
For more information contact: Scott Varner, ODOT Central Office Communications, at 614-644-8640
or your local ODOT District Public Information Office.