I-75 Under Repair to Reduce Motor Vehicle Accidents and Congestion in Dayton

I-75 in the Dayton area is being modernized in an effort to improve traffic flow and prevent motor vehicle accidents. The roadway currently under modernization lies between Route 4 and U.S. 35. I-75 in between Main and Fifth streets will be totally rebuilt.

The downtown Dayton work will involve:

• Removing left-hand entrances and exits and replacing them with one primary exit into downtown
• Creating three continuous lanes in both directions between Third and Main streets
• Reconstructing 12 overpasses
• Creating one central interchange at First and Third streets
• Realigning adjacent streets to match new entrances and exits

Dayton-area drivers should expect ongoing road closures and detours on and around I-75 through the fall of 2017 as work continues.

Although there have not been any fatal motor vehicle accidents on I-75 in the immediate downtown area in 2013, there were several in the area to be improved by the current construction work in both 2012 and 2011.

Although the work on I-75 is designed to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion, during construction it is important for drivers to reduce their speed in work zones to avoid being in a motor vehicle accident. There has been a slight increase in accidents in an area north of Stanley Avenue, according to Sgt. Jeff Kramer with the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Dayton.

More cashes are the result of people not adhering to the reduced speed limits. These include a recent crash involving a FedEx double trailer semi that rolled over and blocked the roadway. This accident was apparently caused by the driver of a car who lost control of the vehicle and hit the truck. Other recent crashes in construction zones along the Dayton stretch of I-75 included one at the Needmore Road exit and another near the Benchwood Road exit.

I-75 Construction Intended to Prevent Motor Vehicle Accidents, Reduce Congestion

When complete, the improvements to I-75 will mean significant changes to how drivers access downtown Dayton. The downtown exit and entrance ramp system will be totally different, reducing the two exits in each direction to one. The plan will also create more through lanes for traffic so that drivers not intending to exit will not get caught up in the lane changing that causes so many accidents.

Another major safety improvement is the elimination of left entrances and exits. A traffic study conducted the University of Dayton analyzing accidents from 2005 to 2008 found that left side entrance ramps were 7.88 times more likely to see crashes than ramps on the right side. Left side exits were 2.25 times more likely to have crashes than ramps on the right side of the roadway.

Both of the old exits into downtown Dayton are the high-risk left ramps.