Tuesday, May 04, 1999
FWW closure smooth first day
Police find few traffic problems
BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The good news: Police said there were no major traffic problems Monday related to the closure of westbound Fort Washington Way.
The bad news: It was just Day One of the four-month closure for weekday commuters.
Chuck Paquette, among 25,000 motorists who usually travel southbound on Interstate 71 at Fort Washington Way, had to find another route around the downtown expressway.
“I'm just sort of feeling my way. I don't know what to expect,” said Mr. Paquette of Sharonville, who took I-75 south to Northern Kentucky.
Though morning traffic was fairly smooth, afternoon delays occurred earlier than normal, said Linda Roll, a supervisor with ARTIMIS. Major tie-ups occurred on southbound I-71 from Taft Road to I-471, and on southbound I-75 to I-74. Three accidents likely contributed to delays north of I-74.
Officer Steve Edwards of the Cincinnati Police Division's traffic unit said Monday morning was “pretty quiet.”
Most motorists chose among several alternate routes: I-275 west to I-75, the Norwood Lateral (Ohio 562) to I-75, or I-471 south to I-275 in Kentucky to link with I-71 and I-75.
Norwood Police Sgt. Jerry Reynolds said police saw more traffic on the Norwood Lateral but there were no related accidents.
Blue Ash police, who patrol about two miles of Ronald Reagan Highway (Cross County), between west of I-71 to west of Plainfield Road, reported that there'd been no accidents or problems Monday.
Tim Schoch, ARTIMIS spokesman, said traffic was better than officials expected Monday.
“Things went quite well today,” said Mr. Schoch, who credited the problem-free morning to warnings motorists received through media.
Metro spokeswoman Sally Hilvers said it was too early to determine if ridership increased Monday due to the closure of the westbound lanes.
The lanes' closure will allow crews to make bridge connections at the ends of the reconfigured expressway, as well as help build a relocated floodwall and a new two-tiered Second Street on time.
The $147 million reconstruction is to be finished in August 2000.
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