MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Changes are on the way for a problematic construction zone on Interstate 75 through south Montgomery County.
A crash in the construction zone Wednesday morning created a backup that led to delays of 20 minutes or more for those driving on I-75 near Dixie Drive.
Many crashes involve the contraflow lane.
Traffic reporter Jake Magnotta tracked the backup Wednesday morning with team traffic on News Center 7 Daybreak and Miami Valley’s morning news on WHIO Radio.
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“We’ve had ramp closures in that area, stuff like that. So it’s a big mess in my opinion,” Magnotta said.
The single lane is meant to give construction crews more room to work, but if there’s a crash in it traffic backs up for miles.
The Ohio Department of Transportation has made some recent changes to slow drivers.
“We put those rumble strips in and there’s 21 different locations on that southbound side that you’re seeing,” said Loryn Bryson ODOT Public Information Officer.
ODOT says speed is one of the biggest contributors to crashes here.
“Honestly, just bringing awareness to the fact that you are actively in a work zone so that you are traveling through the work zone and it’s a good reminder. It helps drivers stay alert,” Bryson said.
In the middle of next month there will be a traffic pattern change with that single contraflow lane going away temporarily.
“We’re going to have that traffic pattern shift in that we’re going to have three lanes of traffic in the proper lanes,” Bryson said. “The contraflow is going to be taken out of use for the wintertime. You know, that’s something that will be likely brought back in the spring.”
ODOT says they understand the traffic pattern changes are confusing, but they have to make those changes to get the work done.
Construction work won’t be finished until 2025.
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