LEBANON, Ohio — A nearly $5 million construction project at the busy intersection of State Route 48 and I-71 in Lebanon has drivers dealing with lane restrictions and traffic delays, but Warren County officials say the improvements will create a safer intersection once completed.
The Warren County Transportation Improvement District is managing the project, which focuses on addressing left-turn safety issues that have plagued the interchange.
"The goal is to improve safety for the northbound State Route 48 traffic to be able to safely turn onto southbound I-71 and also to allow folks coming off of I-71 southbound to turn safely to go north on State Route 48," said Warren County Engineer Kurt Weber. "Left turns are the challenge."
The project includes installing a new traffic signal at the I-71 southbound ramps and SR 48 intersection, extending the northbound SR 48 left turn lane, and widening SR 48 northbound to create a three-lane section through the intersection. Crews are also reducing the radius of the SR 48 southbound right turn to the I-71 southbound ramp and widening that ramp to two lanes.
Currently, drivers on SR 48 must navigate through gaps in traffic to turn left onto I-71 South, while drivers exiting I-71 southbound face similar challenges turning left onto SR 48 North.
However, the construction process has created temporary frustrations for commuters. Comments in a Lebanon Facebook group describe the current conditions as "horrible," "a mess," and "a bottleneck and accident waiting to happen."
WATCH: Get a look at the construction and traffic solutions underway
Weber acknowledged the concerns, saying he wasn't surprised by the complaints since he lives in the area.
"Northbound traffic has been reduced down to one lane, which is very frustrating to people, and we certainly appreciate everybody's patience because that's what we needed to do in order to widen State Route 48 to provide some of these improvements," Weber said.
The project recently faced an unexpected challenge when the Ohio State Highway Patrol alerted the county about visibility issues created by new concrete barriers for drivers exiting the southbound ramp. In response, officials implemented a temporary restriction preventing left turns from the I-71 southbound off-ramp to northbound SR 48.
"They won't be able to turn left to go north on 48, but they can make a right-hand turn, go to the next signalized intersection and make a U-turn," Weber said.
Once the traffic signal is installed, that left turn restriction will be removed.
The project, which began construction in late spring 2025, was originally scheduled for completion in late spring 2026. However, Weber said crews are ahead of schedule and the intersection could potentially be finished by the end of this year.
The improvements are designed to eliminate the need for drivers to negotiate gaps in traffic when making left turns. The new signal will provide protected left turn phases, while extending turn lanes will allow drivers to move out of through traffic and decelerate safely.
Additional benefits include widening the I-71 southbound on-ramp to two lanes, eliminating the need for merging traffic from Lebanon and South Lebanon to yield to each other.
"The message is thank you for your patience and understanding," Weber said. "A safer intersection is on the way, and we're going to have a nice, safe intersection when it's all said and done."
The project is a partnership between the Ohio Department of Transportation, Warren County Commissioners and the Warren County Transportation Improvement District, with an estimated construction cost of $4.8 million.
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