CUYAHOGA COUNTY — There’s a lot of construction happening across Northeast Ohio, particularly on I-90 in Cuyahoga County.
Wednesday afternoon, the Warren Road entrance ramp to I-90 eastbound reopened.
But as construction continues, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) are warning about work zone crashes and the need for drivers to slow down and pay attention.
Brent Kovacs, with ODOT, said there have been 27 work zone crashes along I-90 in Rocky River, Lakewood and Cleveland, where the multiyear $173 million I-90 Rehabilitation Project is taking place.
The project includes a total overhaul of the pavement to fix major flooding issues, to install new storm sewers, lighting, barriers and bridge repairs.
Kovacs and Lt. Tim Hoffman of OSHP said too many drivers are speeding, following too closely behind other vehicles and making improper lane changes.
“We were fortunate to see no fatalities, but the danger is real,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman stressed that we all owe it to ourselves and to the thousands of construction employees who are out working to improve our roads to do our part to remain safe.
There are reduced speeds in the area, lane restrictions, contraflow lanes and ramp closures.
“You've got curves in the road. You’ve got much smaller emergency berms than normal. You've got inlets to the construction zone that lead from the highway lane,” Hoffman said.
OSHP said that in all of Cuyahoga County, from May 2025 to May 2026, there’s been a 40% jump in work zone crashes. Hoffman added troopers have issued 350 citations — many for excessive speed as well.
Hoffman said statewide over the past five years, there's been nearly 22,000 work zone crashes, including 21 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries last year alone.
“Really, workers have to put it out of their mind. It's a risk that they have to deal with, but they can't let it control them. We have protections in place such as the crash impact attenuators, the work zones with barrels, signs, arrow boards — all to bring attention to the work zone,” Kovacs said.
I asked Hoffman, “What do you think contributes to the bad behavior?”
“I think everyone's just really busy trying to keep up with life right now,” Hoffman said. “So I wouldn't call it attitude so much as maybe just people are kind of in their world trying to get where they want to get to. And sometimes they just forget that, you know, those speed limits aren't just there to slow you down; they're there to keep everyone safe."
With the Warren Road entrance ramp to I-90 now reopened, ODOT said that on Monday, July 27, the West 140th Street entrance ramp to I-90 eastbound will be closed through December.
The construction project is an aggressive one, but Kovacs said leaders want the work completed without any more crashes or injuries.
“We're talking the first time in the history of this road that the pavement's been replaced since it was originally constructed. So, it's really the momentous historical time," Kovacs said.
The I-90 Rehabilitation Project is expected to finish in October 2028. Kovacs said things are currently on schedule.
Hoffman said law enforcement regularly patrols the area, with increased enforcement between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Damon Maloney is a Cuyahoga County and We Follow Through anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @DMaloneyTV, on Facebook DamonMaloneyTV or email him at Damon.Maloney@wews.com.
