Truckers who ignored warnings to avoid Fort Washington Way's new, narrow lanes got a $119 reminder on Monday.
Cincinnati Police issued at least 75 citations Monday. That number included three dozen during three hours in the morning, said Lt. Robert Hungler of the police division's traffic unit. The lanes are being narrowed from 11 feet to 9 feet in preparation for two years of construction that will straighten the downtown throughway and eliminate exit ramps.
Signs as big as the "side of a truck" warned against using Fort Washington Way's eastbound lanes, Lt. Hungler said.
"We heard them on the CB," he said. "They don't want to take the extra time to stay out of trouble."
Any vehicle over 7 feet wide was warned against traveling Fort Washington Way on Monday, and large campers were affected, too. The illegal truck traffic seemed to have little affect on commuting; travel across the connector was smooth for the most part, police said.
Bob Thomas, manager of the heavy hauling firm Guy M. Turner Inc. in Bond Hill, said the detour was costing his drivers 30 to 45 minutes in drive time.
Instead of cutting through downtown to Interstate 471, he said, truckers are going up to Interstate 275 and taking the long way around. "We have to go all the way around, but we'll survive," Mr. Thomas said.
The state Department of Transportation notified him of the detour weeks ago, he said.
John Baker said he heard about it on the radio on Friday. He's the international operations manager for First Air Express in Boone County.
"It's a fairly big inconvenience, actually," he said.
Police will continue to pull over any vehicles wider than 7 feet during the major morning and evening drive times through the end of the week, Lt. Hungler said.
"Hopefully, after a week or four days, we'll find there's a significant decrease in violations, then we'll do it sporadically as needed," he said.
Greeting all motorists Monday were more ramp closings. Traffic planners this weekend shut down ramps at Main, Race and Walnut streets to eastbound Fort Washington Way.
Earlier, exit ramps were closed from Fort Washington Way eastbound at Vine Street - Roebling Suspension Bridge and at Main Street. The $146.9 million overhaul of Fort Washington Way is scheduled to be ready for the Bengals' 2000 football season, when the new stadium is scheduled to open on the riverfront. John Hopkins contributed to this report.
