GREENE COUNTY — UPDATE @ 8:20 a.m. (Nov. 4):
After several delays caused by weather, the traffic pattern has been officially switched for the U.S. 35 Superstreet at both intersections of Orchard Lane and Factory Road, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
>>PREVIOUS REPORT: U.S. 35 Superstreet project closer to opening
Work crews made the final traffic pattern switch overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning at the Factory Road intersection, officially opening the loons that will now allow for legal U-turns on U.S. 35. Traffic was routed into the new pattern Thursday morning.
>>Dayton Traffic | News, Maps, Delays, Gas Prices
On Wednesday morning, the traffic pattern was changed at the Orchard Lane intersection.
The new traffic pattern eliminates left turns onto U.S. 35 from Factory Road and Orchard Lane and cross-over travel across U.S. 35 from both intersections. Instead, traffic from those two side roads will be routed into right turns and into the loons that allow for legal U-turns to either proceed on U.S. 35 in the opposite direction or return to the side street.
The project however is not fully completed with more work expected in the spring. Following a break for winter, contractors will return for a final paving, road striping, and raised pavement marker installation to complete the project, according to ODOT.
UPDATE 7:45 a.m. (Nov. 2):
A major change to the traffic pattern of U.S. 35 in Greene County has been delayed another day.
Traffic on U.S. 35 and at Orchard Lane and Factory Road continues to maintained with thru-traffic and turns, according to ODOT. Crews will complete work tonight, and the loons and stop-and-go signals are anticipated to be operational by 7 a.m. Wednesday.
When the change happens, drivers will no longer be able to turn left onto U.S. 35 from either Factory Road or Orchard Lane. The new configuration will also eliminate drivers on either road to cross-over U.S. 35.
FIRST REPORT
Weather has forced the Ohio Department of Transportation to delay a major change to the traffic pattern on U.S. 35 in Greene County, however that change is now scheduled to happen this week.
As the U.S. 35 Superstreet project continues, drivers in Beavercreek have been hoping to have some of the orange barrels removed. However the barrels have remained in place due to the recent wet weather and that’s made it hard for construction crews to keep the project on time.
Originally scheduled for last week, ODOT will officially make the signal change on U.S. 35 near Factory Road and Orchard Lane Tuesday. When the change happens, drivers will no longer be able to turn left onto U.S. 35 from either Factory Road or Orchard Lane. The new configuration will also eliminate drivers on either road to cross-over U.S. 35.
Instead, drivers will turn right onto U.S. 35 and go into a “loon” which allows drivers to make a legal U-turn on U.S. 35.
Starting at 7 p.m. Monday, ODOT crews will shift traffic to the final configuration at the Orchard Lane intersection, with the loons and traffic signals operational by the Tuesday morning commute. Tuesday night the same process will be completed at the Factory Road intersection and will be completed Wednesday morning, and ODOT spokesperson said in a media release Monday.
The full completion and opening of the loons is the next big step in the completion of the superstreet project. Following a break for winter, contractors are set to return in the spring for a final paving, road striping, and raised pavement marker installation to complete the project, according to ODOT.
The construction chaos hasn’t all been a bad thing for some people. John Pandzik, of Beavercreek, is a map editor for the travel app Waze and said the superstreet project has kept him busy in recent years.
“I find it fascinating and gives me the opportunity to change the map and keep it current,” Pandzik told News Center 7′s Gabrielle Enright.
“I live here in Beavercreek. I love making the roads here in Beavercreek more travelable for people in Greene County,” he said.
The first few days of the new pattern will likely cause some problems for commuters used to traveling this route, but ODOT has said the new route will help keep drivers safer.
“I can imagine a lot of people will be upset and confused,” Pandzik said.
The project remains on schedule to be completed in Spring 2022, according to ODOT.