ODOT outlines multiyear projects for Wood County and northwest Ohio; I-475 widening still a decade away

Wood County commissioners heard an annual construction and maintenance briefing from Ohio Department of Transportation District 2 on May 5, 2026, covering local projects, safety improvements and long-range corridor studies.

Pat McColley, District 2 director, led a team of engineers who reviewed planned maintenance (culverts, pavement repairs, mowing and chip seal operations), brine-sale agreements with local jurisdictions, and a slate of construction projects programmed for 2026–2029. The presentation included cost estimates and schedules for projects ranging from local culvert replacements to interstate reconstructions.

McColley told the board that ODOT coordinates with mapping platforms such as Apple and Google to encourage routing onto posted detours but that short-duration closures — like an upcoming weekend closure of I-475 — may not always be picked up quickly by navigation systems. "When the closure is a longer timeframe, the mapping system will pick it up and give drivers an alternative route, but the upcoming weekend closure on I-475 may not be posted due to its short duration," he said.

The department listed several weekend full-direction closures planned for I-475 to support pavement repairs, citing scheduled weekends including May 8–11, May 15–18, May 29–June 1 and June 5–7. ODOT also noted southbound on-ramps near Dussel Drive would be closed beginning for those repair weekends.

On long-range planning, McColley said the I-475 widening project remains in the feasibility stage and that a construction start is likely more than a decade away. "They are still in the feasibility stage and can predict at least 10 years or more before anything begins," he said.

ODOT presented several locally focused safety projects that the district hopes to advance with state and federal safety funding. Proposed single‑lane roundabouts include SR 199 at SR 582 (estimated $4.6 million, construction FY2028), SR 199 at Five Point (estimated $6.478 million, construction FY2029), SR 64 at Bishop (estimated $4.44 million, construction FY2028) and SR 579 at Fostoria Road (estimated $4.346 million, construction FY2029). The slides showed crash tallies (2020–2022 or 2020–2024 windows) at those intersections and cited reductions in fatalities and injuries associated with roundabout conversions.

The presentation also summarized FY2026 construction work programmed in Wood County: resurfacing SR 65 and the US 20 portion running through Wood/Sandusky counties, a SR 795 bridge redeck (expected to reopen before July 4), and multiple bridge replacements and slope repairs with tentative schedules through 2027. Several maintenance projects were listed with expected temporary closures (many 7–10 day closures for culvert replacements) and pavement-repair night work.

ODOT reviewed statewide initiatives and corridor studies. The board was briefed on HB 96, which earmarks $500,000 (split into phases) for a U.S. 23–I-71 connector study, and on an I-73 corridor feasibility directive with $1.5 million allotted and a study completion target of Dec. 31, 2026. Slides included tolling sketches and a 40-year revenue screen for several I-73 corridor concepts.

The presentation closed with contacts and an attendance roster; county commissioners asked clarifying questions about detour routing and timeframes for right-of-way and construction on local projects.

The presentation materials reviewed at the hearing include project cost estimates and schedules; specific project timetables remain subject to final design and funding. The board adjourned at 10:27 a.m.