Cincinnati drivers face a week of overnight detours as the Ohio Department of Transportation closes the Lytle Tunnel on Interstate 71 for maintenance, weather permitting.
Northbound I-71 will close at the I-71/75 split (Ohio Exit 1) from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. overnight Monday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Sept. 29. The Second Street entrance ramp to northbound I-71 will also close, with traffic routed to the Fifth Street entrance ramp. Access to the tunnel from eastbound Fort Washington Way will be prohibited, though U.S. 50 East will remain open.
Southbound closures follow on Wednesday, Sept. 30, and Thursday, Oct. 1, also from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Southbound I-71 will close at Exit 2 and through the tunnel, with no access into the I-71 and Third Street tunnels. The Third Street exit ramp and tunnel will close, detouring drivers via Gilbert Avenue and Reading Road to reach downtown.
The U.S. 42/Eden Park Drive and Eden Park/Dorchester Road entrance ramps will close during the southbound work. Drivers can use the Liberty Street entrance ramp to southbound I-471 and follow the I-71 detour.
For through traffic, especially trucks, ODOT says northbound I-71 traffic will be detoured via I-75 North to State Route 126, the Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway, and back to I-71. Southbound traffic will be detoured by way of I-471 and I-275 West to I-71/I-75, or via Ronald Reagan and I-75 South. All closures are contingent on weather.