CINCINNATI — Drivers who cruise down SR-32 in Clermont County have been watching construction happen for the last two years — and they'll possibly continue to see construction crews out there for another 2 years.
With the completion of the new interchange at SR-32 and Bach Buxton, crews were able to shift their work to the intersection at SR-32 and Glen Este-Withamsville Road.
The biggest change to that area in 2024 drivers will notice is that the traffic light at the intersection is gone. In fact, all of the lights from the SR-32 and the I-275 interchange to Bauer Road are gone.
ODOT District 8 spokesperson Kathleen Fuller says the goal was to eliminate the at-rate intersections, and now there is free-flowing traffic along SR-32.
"We had a lot of safety concerns out here," Fuller said.
Those concerns included traffic congestion on SR-32 and backups on Glen Este-Withamsville as drivers tried to get to the interstate.
But by removing the light at SR-32 and Glen Este-Withamsville, drivers are cut off from accessing the north side of Eastgate from the south and vice versa.
Josh Bradford, the ODOT Project Engineer on the construction, is from the area and said he knows what drivers want.
"We’re going to put the bridge back in so that you can connect basically north and south back together,” Bradford said.
That bridge is literally an overpass that will go over SR-32.
"You won’t miss the crane that is going to be driving piles for the pier in the median of 32,” Bradford said.
The interchange does not include access to SR-32 from Glen Este-Withamsville. Drivers can access SR-32 from Bach Buxton or Eastgate Boulevard.
“We will have a ramp taking you from westbound 32 to Glen Este-Withamsville,” Fuller said.
That exit ramp will run right near the Auto Zone and Pep Boys, directing drivers to the north side of Eastgate.
The $30 million project is expected to be done in 2026, but ODOT hopes to have drivers on the overpass sooner than that.
"We appreciate everybody’s patience, just bear with us, it’s going to get better,” Fuller said.
Bradford wanted to remind drivers that even though there's no traffic light, crews are still out there in the median and the speed limit is 50 mph.
