By Herald Staff
The Interstate 71 Lytle Tunnel will be closed during the overnight hours this week for regularly scheduled maintenance operations.
Northbound I-71 will be closed at the I-71/75 split (Ohio Exit 1) Wednesday and Thursday, September 8 and 9, from 10 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following day. In addition, the following restrictions and ramp closures will also be in effect:
- Second Street entrance ramp to I-71 North in Cincinnati will be closed; traffic will be routed by way of the Fifth Street entrance ramp to northbound I-71.
- Fourth Street entrance ramp to I-71 North in Covington will be closed; traffic will be routed by way of the Twelfth Street entrance ramp to northbound I-71.
- Access to the tunnel from eastbound Fort Washington Way (I-71/U.S. 50) will be prohibited; however, U.S. 50 East will remain open.
Then, on Friday and Saturday, September 10 and 11, southbound I-71 will be closed at Exit 2, and through the tunnel from 10 p.m. each night to 9 a.m. the following day. The following ramp closures will also be in effect for southbound I-71:
- U.S. 42/Eden Park Drive entrance ramp to I-71 South will be closed, and motorists may follow the Liberty Street entrance ramp to southbound I-471 and follow I-71 detour.
- Third Street exit ramp to I-71 South will be closed, and motorists detour via Gilbert Avenue/Reading Road to access downtown.
While the tunnel is closed in the northbound direction, I-71 traffic will be detoured via I-75 North to S.R. 562/Norwood Lateral and I-71, and when it is closed southbound, traffic will be detoured by way of I-471 and I-275 West to I-71/I-75 or via the Norwood Lateral and I-75 South.
Arrow boards and/or signs will be in place to alert motorists of the upcoming work zone and restrictions. All work is contingent upon the weather, and for ongoing traffic, construction and weather-related information across the state, please visit www.OHGO.com.
