Turnpike construction season underway

The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission will commence several repair projects this month, focusing on keeping the roadway maintained for essential personnel to use during the pandemic, the commission director said.
Pavement replacement is scheduled to begin along the turnpike in Fulton and Lucas counties with one lane closed at a time, said Ferzan M. Ahmed, executive director, and resurfacing projects in Ottawa, Sandusky and Erie counties are also set to start this spring.
To limit delays for motorists, the commission will try to maintain two lanes of traffic in all three-lane sections of the turnpike during peak travel times. Some single lane zones will be necessary but planners said they will occur primarily during off-peak travel times or overnight.
The commission expects to have many of the projects completed by November.
In Ottawa and Sandusky counties, lanes and shoulders, eastbound and westbound, will be resurfaced between mileposts 80.50 and 90.02.
The commission will have two lanes open during the day and one lane during the night.
The $14.25 million contract was awarded to Kokosing Construction Co.
In Lucas and Fulton counties, reconstruction of the eastbound and westbound mainline pavement and shoulders from milepost 46.50 to 50.92 has begun. The project also includes the construction of the entrance and exit ramps to and from the planned new toll plaza 49 and its open road tolling lanes.
The project is part of the modernization of the toll collection system and will include the site construction for the new mainline plaza.
Construction will continue into the 2021 season and two lanes will be maintained in each direction.
The $30.75 million contract was awarded to Kokosing.
In Erie County, the right and center lanes and the right shoulder, eastbound and westbound, will be resurfaced between milepost 118.80 and 127.23 between April and November. Two lanes will be open during the day and one lane at night.
The $12 million contract was awarded to Gerken Paving, Inc.
Projects will also be undertaken in Cuyahoga, Summit and Mahoning counties, including work on bridges and ramps.