MIAMI COUNTY — Drivers in Miami County are frustrated with the ongoing construction on Interstate 75.
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Next week, the State Route 55 exit in Troy will be closed as the Ohio Department of Transportation works on its next phase of the I-75 project.
Some drivers said they try to take backroads if they can.
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For weeks now, people driving into Miami County or south in Montgomery County are greeted by orange cones.
“I continue to forget that the ramp that I want to use is closed,” David Pappas said.
Pappas works from home, but when he goes out, he tries to avoid the interstate.
He doesn’t want to get caught in traffic or a pile-up crash.
“I’ve not seen the accidents, so I’m really not; it’s not visible to me,” he said.
News Center 7 has reported on multiple crashes between the State Route 55 and County Road 25A exits in Miami County over the past two weeks.
The latest happened on June 23 when a driver hit a construction barrier and caused a chain reaction crash.
“The traffic is backed up on 75, and that’s scary when you encounter that, because you’re coming to a fast stop, and you want to make certain everybody behind you is doing the same thing,” Pappas said.
With ODOT’s new plan of closing the SR-55 exit, drivers can detour to State Route 41 or stay on the interstate.
“I was getting off 55 and cutting back to come over here. Yeah, actually I don’t know what I’m going to do now, get off at 25 a, I guess it’s a little bit further away from where I live,” Pappas said.
Pappas added that he hopes it’s over soon.
“When has it ever not been under construction? I don’t know. It just happens to be farther north now,” he said.
The continuation of the I-75 project starting Monday is weather-dependent.
There is no confirmed end date for the project.
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