by Jeff Saunders

Reporter

Northfield Center -- With the closure of Twinsburg Road, reduced lanes and convoys of trucks hauling dirt to build new highway entrance ramps, the Route 8 freeway project is well under way.

To make way for an overpass, the Ohio Department of Transportation closed Twinsburg Road on April 23, said Paula Putnam, a spokesperson for ODOT's District 4 office in Akron.

Posted detours will be Hines Hill Road to Walters Road to Twinsburg on the east side of Route 8 and Hines Hill to Olde Eight Road to Twinsburg on the west side.

The project is part of the $91 million first phase of a two-phase project to turn Route 8 into a limited access expressway between Interstate 271 and Route 303. Phase 1 also includes a redesign of the interstate's interchange system, the addition of left turn lanes at the Highland Road intersection and the construction of sound walls.

Putnam said the first phase is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 30, 2009 and the contract includes an incentive for Canton-based Beaver Excavating Co. to complete the project on time.

Putnam said the redesign of the interchange system includes the construction of a new offramp that will allow southbound motorists to exit the interstate from the left lane down to Route 8 south of the interstate.

There will also be a new northbound onramp, the entrance of which will be just south of Highland Road. It will then go over Route 8 and curve around to the interstate.

Putnam said an estimated 750,000 tons of dirt in about 37,500 truckloads will be brought in to build up the ground under the ramps and the Twinsburg Road overpass.

The Highland Road intersection improvements include the addition of left turn lanes on Highland on both sides and right turn lanes at all four points.

Two noise walls are to be constructed, one between the east side of the interstate and the Macedonia neighborhoods of Blue Jay Trail, Robin Lane and Swallow and Wren drives and the other between the new offramp and the Northfield Center neighborhood of Shady Lane, Oviatt Drive and Kitner Boulevard.

Putnam said the Highland Road intersection improvements are expected to be completed by July 31, but it is uncertain when the noise walls will be built.

To accommodate the construction, both sides of I-271 have been reduced to one through lane and one exit lane.

Putnam said utility poles around the sites of the new ramps have been moved and a large sediment collection basin has been constructed at the interstate overpass.

"We're trying to keep our dirt in our own yard," said Putnam.

Phase 2 of the project has been projected to cost about $68 million and includes a new interchange system at the Ohio Turnpike.

E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com

Phone: 440-232-4055 ext. 4105