Contractors for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) are set to begin a rehabilitation project on state Route 562 (Norwood Lateral) through the city of Norwood, with construction getting under way in mid-March.

The project includes rehabilitating the mainline bridges over Paddock Road, Reading Road and Ross Avenue by replacing joints and barriers; painting and sealing the structures; as well as resurfacing the Lateral between the Paddock Road interchange and Interstate 71.

During the first phase of construction, the Norwood Lateral will be closed to all traffic in the eastbound traffic, with an 80-day closure in effect beginning March 11. While it is closed, southbound I-75 traffic to the Lateral will be detoured by way of Fort Washington Way and I-71 North. Northbound I-75 motorists will be detoured via the S.R. 126/Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway and I-71.

The closure of the eastbound side of the Lateral will be followed by an 80-day closure of the Lateral in the westbound direction, which is anticipated to be imparted in early June.

The directional closures were deemed necessary due to the width requirements to maintain traffic in a single lane over the bridges during construction. Closure also will expedite operations and reduce the overall or total impact to traffic. If traffic were to be maintained during bridge construction, motorists could expect a continuous, single-lane closure in either direction during two construction seasons.

In addition, closing the route to traffic during construction will result in a safer work zone. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Crash Dashboard, there have been more than 700 crashes on the Norwood Lateral since 2019, so closing the Lateral will eliminate backups, delays and the potential for crashes in the work zone.

The Great Lakes Construction Company was awarded a contract for approximately $21.4 million to complete the project, and the entire project is scheduled for completion in June 2025.

For more information, visit OHGO.com.