CINCINNATI — Drivers will have to navigate around a major closure of Interstate 75 through downtown Cincinnati later this month, but for truck drivers, a detour could mean more than just a few extra minutes on the road.
Both directions of I-75 will close through part of Cincinnati beginning Friday night, Sept. 25, while crews install nine steel girders for the new Linn Street Bridge.
The work is part of ongoing construction that has already become a familiar sight for drivers along the interstate.
For truck drivers, getting around the closure is not as simple as finding the next side street.
K.E. Warehouse operates a bonded warehouse and trucking operation in Cincinnati. General Manager Jack Wardle said keeping freight moving on schedule is a major part of the business, and the closure is expected to have an impact.
“Yes, so initially we were always excited for cleaner, safer roads first of all, but yes, the closure definitely is going to have somewhat of an impact on our operations and whether that be longer, that takes a longer time for trucks to arrive at our facility, traffic obviously,” Wardle said.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is encouraging heavy trucks traveling through Cincinnati to use Interstate 275 during the closure.
For most drivers, a detour may simply mean leaving a little earlier. But when driving is the job, additional miles can mean more fuel, more time behind the wheel and fewer deliveries.
“Your idle time, so your fuel cost is going to go up because it’s more miles. You’re idling, so you’ve got more fuel burning as well,” Wardle said. “Plus if you are sitting in traffic or sitting at a dock waiting your turn, that’s burning through time that you could be making other deliveries. And so you might actually see less deliveries per day out of each truck. That’s something that we’re ready and expecting as well.”
The full closure is scheduled to begin at 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. I-75 is expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28.
Whether drivers are behind the wheel of a semi or sharing the road with one, they should plan for additional traffic along detour routes throughout the weekend.
