Traffic on Interstate 75 from Michigan all the way down to Florida has been heavily impacted by Hurricane Irma, and travelers should be prepared for delays if they’re traveling South.
In Ohio, there are road closures and road work currently taking place along I-75 right now. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, there are several major roadwork projects along I-75 in the state right now. ODOT spokesman Matt Bruning told this news organization that travelers should download the OHGO app to get real-time traffic information before leaving for a trip.
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In the Toledo area, traffic has seen some delays due to one project. “On I-75, from I-280 to I-475, we have a major project that has the road restricted to two lanes with no shoulders. It’s tighter than normal, but it is open and flows at construction zone speeds. There are some local ramp closures associated with the project, but it shouldn’t affect people traveling to Florida,” said ODOT District Two spokeswoman Rebecca Shirling Dangelo.
The largest road work projects are currently happening in the Toledo, Findlay and Cincinnati areas. If you’re traveling from Dayton to Florida on I-75, some road traffic to be aware of includes:
• In Dayton, there is currently roadwork on I-75 northbound between SR-4 and Stanley. The left lane is closed. This shouldn't impact a trip down to Florida, but could slow traffic on the way back home. Travelers can view local accidents in real time here. In Norwood in Cincinnati, between I-71 southbound and Smith near mile marker 6, there is ramp construction that has closed the left lane.
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I-75 is also seeing some delays in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. In the aftermath of Irma, Georgia transportation personnel have been working since the storm passed through the state to clear debris and ensure safe and passable interstates and state routes.
Following the storm, more than 1,100 incidents of roadway closures were reported. Currently, fewer than 100 remaining roadway closures exist on state routes, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Nearly 1,000 maintenance and construction forces continue to work to ensure all interstates and state routes are open and remain open.
Transportation officials advised travelers to check their gas level before leaving, as gas shortages continue in Georgia and Florida. Visit GasBuddy for a list of open gas stations in the areas that you are traveling through. Motorists should also pay attention to malfunctioning traffic signals and slow down while watching for downed trees, power lines and debris.
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In Florida, motorists traveling back after evacuating for Irma are dealing with increased traffic congestion, The Miami Herald reported. I-75 over the Sante Fe River near mile marker 408 near Miami remains open, but major delays would occur if it did shut down.
"If the interstate had to be shut down, however, such a closure of the interstate would force drivers onto long detours that could add as much as 200 or 300 miles to an already grueling trip home," the Miami Herald reported.
Find more travel information for specific states at:
• Ohio: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/pages/home.aspx
• Kentucky: http://transportation.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/tdot
• Georgia: http://www.dot.ga.gov/DS/Emergency/Hurricane
• Florida: http://www.fdot.gov/
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