A stretch of Interstate 75 through Cincinnati will be fully closed from late Friday, Sept. 25, until early Monday, Sept. 28, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The closure is tied to the ongoing Linn Street Bridge replacement project over I-75. Crews will be completing pier construction and preparing to install framework for the new overpass, requiring the interstate to shut down in both directions.
Northbound closures
Northbound I-75 closures will begin at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, when entrance ramps from Fort Washington Way, West Fourth Street and West Sixth Street close.
At the same time, crews will begin reducing traffic to a single lane across the Brent Spence Bridge and continue lane closures farther north. By 11 p.m., northbound I-75 will be fully
closed beginning at the U.S. 50 West exit ramp.
Southbound closures
Southbound I-75 will also begin seeing restrictions at 9 p.m. Friday, starting with the closure of the entrance ramp from the Western Hills Viaduct.
A single-lane closure will be put in place near Ohio 562/Norwood Lateral and extend south. Additional lane closures will follow, with the interstate fully closing by 11 p.m. at the Freeman Avenue exit ramp.
The full interstate closure will remain in place until 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28.
How to get around
Drivers will still be able to reach downtown Cincinnati and access portions of I-75 during the closure.
Northbound motorists will continue to have access to West Fifth Street, Exit 1C and U.S. 50 West/River Road at Exit 1D. Drivers can re-enter I-75 via the Freeman Avenue entrance ramp.
ODOT is encouraging northbound travelers to use the signed detour at the I-71/I-75 split by taking I-71 North and westbound Ohio 562/Norwood Lateral to help reduce congestion.
Drivers heading downtown can reach I-75 North from West Sixth Street via Linn Street, West Eighth Street and Freeman Avenue. From West Fourth Street, drivers can follow Central Avenue to West Sixth Street, Linn Street, West Eighth Street and Freeman Avenue.
Southbound motorists can take the Freeman Avenue exit to West Sixth Street and re-enter I-75. Another option is to use eastbound Ohio 562/Norwood Lateral and I-71 South to reconnect with I-75 at the Brent Spence Bridge.
Drivers who are not headed downtown, especially truck traffic, are encouraged to bypass the area using the I-275 outer belt.
What's going on at the Linn Street Bridge?
The Linn Street Bridge, which spans I-75 between West Court and West Eighth streets, is being demolished and rebuilt as part of the the giant Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project.
The new bridge will carry two vehicle lanes instead of five and will include bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides.
The $46.7 million Linn Street bridge project includes changes to West Court Street and Winchell Avenue, along with replacement of a pedestrian bridge over Winchell. Transportation officials say the redesigned bridge will improve connections between the West End and Queensgate neighborhoods.
The project will also create space for a new companion bridge west of the Brent Spence Bridge, a major component of the more than $4 billion corridor project.
Linn Street is expected to reopen in fall 2027, with the broader Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project scheduled for completion in late spring 2029.
Enquirer Reporter Patricia Gallagher Newberry contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: A major I-75 closure is coming. here's what drivers need to know
