It's a construction project years in the making.
I-490 will be closed between E. 55th Street and I-77 from May 29, 2019, until May 2021 as construction crews work on "Section 3" of the Opportunity Corridor Project.
The closure will begin around 7 p.m.
“The purpose of the Opportunity Corridor Project is to improve transportation and economic development in the historically underserved part of Cleveland known as the ‘Forgotten Triangle’ located within the City of Cleveland, between I-490/I-77 and University Circle,” ODOT says. “The three-mile boulevard will provide improved access to and through the communities of Slavic Village, Central, Kinsman, Buckeye-Shaker and Fairfax.”
Work during this two-year closure will include:
- Demolition of existing buildings, bridges and tree removal
- Reconstruction of the existing streets and intersections along the new boulevard
- Major underground work including sanitary sewers, waterlines, drainage and utility services
- Construction of new bridges and retaining walls
Prior to the I-490 closure, temporary pavement will be installed to allow northbound and southbound traffic to continue on East 55th Street between approximately Bower and Francis avenues.
Specific detours are as follows:
I-77 northbound detour to East 55th Street northbound:
Exit at East 22nd Street/East 14th Street
Keep left onto East 14th Street
Keep right onto East 18th Street
Turn right on Carnegie Avenue to East 55th Street
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I-77 northbound detour to East 55th Street southbound:
Exit at Woodland Avenue/East 30th Street
Keep right onto Woodland Avenue to East 55th Street
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I-77 southbound detour to East 55th Street:
Exit at Woodland Avenue/East 30th Street
Keep left onto Woodland Avenue to East 55th Street
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East 55th Street detour to I-490 westbound:
West on Woodland Ave to East 30th Street
Keep left and merge onto Orange Avenue
Keep right, merge onto I-77 southbound
After testing out the detours, our "Road Warrior" Danielle Wiggins found that in clear traffic conditions the detours add anywhere between four and a half to seven minutes.
ODOT warns, however, that detours are always jam packed during the first couple weeks of a closure. Your travel time depends on where you hit the detour, time of day and how many other people are on the road.