Wed Nov 04 2009
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U.S. 24 work
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By TODD HELBERG
A temporary but dramatic switch in U.S. 24 traffic patterns on Defiance's west end began today.
The changeover is necessary for construction of an interchange near the Baltimore Road (Ohio 424) intersection, part of the ongoing U.S. 24 widening project.
As it stood before today, U.S. 24 traffic traveled on two gradually curving lanes in that area. But the change will detour traffic onto a new section of Baltimore Road as well as a temporary connector road, east of the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT) county garage.
Eastbound motorists on U.S. 24 will be detoured onto Baltimore Road, then will proceed to a temporary traffic light before turning 90 degrees left, or north, onto the temporary connector road. This road, which will separate eastbound and westbound traffic with a concrete barrier, will merge with U.S. 24.
Westbound motorists on U.S. 24 will be detoured onto the temporary connector road and turn 90 degrees right at the temporary traffic light on Baltimore Road.
After a short drive west, Baltimore Road will connect motorists back to U.S. 24.
This arrangement will stay in place until late next year, according to ODOT officials, or until the new section of U.S. 24 in that area is completed.
"Moving traffic off of existing U.S. 24 will allow crews to relocate a ditch and continue with embankment work necessary to construct the interchange," said Tim Burkepile, ODOT's District I deputy director. "This will be a somewhat dramatic change in the normal traffic pattern so we ask motorists to be aware and cautious throughout this long-term but temporary situation."
District I construction engineer Bruce Merry said the change might create some backups, but compared it to traffic on U.S. 24 in Antwerp, which is interrupted by two traffic signals. (That will be eliminated by the end of next year when the new U.S. 24 is relocated around Antwerp.)
"You are going to create a little bit of backup," said Merry. "But you could look at Antwerp as an example. You have a traffic signal there and ... you have some backup."
The section of U.S. 24 closing today will be abandoned and torn up, Merry added, as the road will be relocated to tie in with the new interchange that is being built.
Traffic just east of the new detour is presently two lanes, but this will be changing soon.
According to Merry, traffic will become four lanes in some areas as early as September.
And, by year's end, traffic will be four lanes from the new detour all the way to Napoleon as the new U.S. 24 is opened in that section.
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