Thursday, May 13, 1999
I-275 repaving project grows
Night schedule to curb tie-ups
BY TANYA ALBERT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The concrete base of Interstate 275 between Ohio 32 and the Asbury Road overpass has aged so much over the past 30 years that state construction crews will have to slap down 71/2 inches of new asphalt.
Plans to repair the road originally called for replacing the top 13/4 inches. But the extra layers are needed to help the road from getting the potholes and grooves that it has experienced in the past few months.
The bigger project will cost the state $3 million, twice the original $1.5 million contract planned. Commuters shouldn't notice a difference in traffic.
The work, scheduled to start after July 4, was planned as an overnight project. And it will stay that way.
“To take it down to one lane during the day would just cause tremendous backups,” said Kim Patton, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation's Lebanon office. “Delays shouldn't be as lengthy during the night.”
Construction crews will work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The work should be completed in late September or early October.
The I-275 project was started last year. It was scheduled to continue this year because the weather got too cold to put down the asphalt last fall, Mrs. Patton said. ODOT thought the 13/4 inches of asphalt would be enough to repair the road, she said.
“Last year wasn't a waste of time,” Mrs. Patton said. “We didn't realize how bad the area was until we started ripping it up.”
Semi-trucks rerouted from I-71/75 have added traffic to that stretch of I-275, and the freezing and warming temperatures earlier this year caused potholes on roads around the region. But the original concrete base underneath is what has really caused problems, Mrs. Patton said.
Commuters, though, are just happy to hear the work won't be done during peak traffic times.
“I would prefer it at night than in the daytime,” said Barbara League of Milford, who travels the stretch at both times of day. “I didn't have a problem with it last year.”
Night construction is just fine with Walt Zeiler, 36, of Union Township in Clermont County, too: “As long as it is clear by the time I get up to go to work, that's great.”
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