CLEVELAND — According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, the exit ramp from Interstate 90 to East 9th Street will close on Monday.
The closure will last through October.
ODOT said the closure would allow crews to reconfigure the ramp. It would also create more space for a new ramp from westbound Interstate 90 to southbound Interstate 77.
The closure is a part of ODOT's I-90 Central Interchange Project. According to ODOT, the $328 million project will see several bridges replaced in the I-90 Interchange area.
When the project is complete, Cleveland will also see new community amenities, including a multi-use path on the East 22nd Street bridge and aesthetic improvements, such as new lighting and art installations.
When News 5 spoke with ODOT Spokesperson Brent Kovacs at the project's ribbon-cutting in April, he said it was time to replace these bridges.
"It's really come time for the pavement and bridges to be replaced," he said. "A lot of them were built in the 1960s, so motorists are going to see a smoother paving surface, wider shoulders, and good bridges for decades to come."
This ramp closure may affect traffic in Downtown Cleveland.
The East 9th Street exit ramp provides I-90 users with access to popular downtown venues, such as Rocket Arena and Progressive Field.
Commuters like Demika Smith tell News 5 that it will also prevent access to other local businesses.
"That is so inconvenient," she said. "It's just like, what are we supposed to do? They got all these nice, new restaurants and businesses down here, and it's gonna just make it an inconvenience for you to come and have a good time. You wanna just get off the freeway. You already have to worry about parking, so that's really a bummer."
ODOT said drivers should take the Ontario Street exit from Interstate 90, then take Carnegie Avenue to reach East 9th Street.
ODOT said the I-90 Central Interchange Project will be completed in 2032.
