Final piece of $1.1 billion rebuild of I-75 dedicated

BOWLING GREEN – A $1.1 billion investment in rebuilding Interstate 75 from Lima to Toledo is wrapping up with the opening of the Michael DiSalle Bridge.

Northbound I-75 traffic will be switched to the new DiSalle Bridge next week, putting the interstate in its final traffic configuration and capping the massive investment project.

“Northwest Ohio is a transportation powerhouse in the state and the main artery is I-75,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “The investment we’ve made here and all along the I-75 corridor, from the Ohio River to the Port of Toledo, is key to Ohio’s local economy and the nation’s economy.” 

I-75 is a vital freight route that connects Canada to Miami, Florida. Originally constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, sections of the interstate began reaching capacity in the 1980s. As the infrastructure continued to age, it was clear that additional investment and capacity was needed to keep pace with Ohio’s growing economy.

The first projects began in 2012 and have continued for just over a decade. They include:

• Allen County: Reconstruction of just over nine miles of existing pavement on I-75 from Fourth Street to State Route 81, completed in 2016.
• Toledo: Rehabilitation of I-75 from I-475 to Dorr Street, completed in 2016.
• Hancock and Wood counties: Reconstruction and addition of a third lane of nearly 32 miles of I-75, completed in 2017.

• Lucas County: Reconstruction and addition of a third lane on I-75 from Interstate 475 to Interstate 280, completed in 2019.
• Hancock County: Reconstruction and addition of a third lane of five miles of I-75, completed in 2020.
• Wood and Lucas counties: Reconstruction and addition of a third lane from Wales Road to Dorr Street. The project will complete in fall 2023.

These projects included the reconstruction and redesign of many ramps and bridges; community branding and refreshed entryways into cities and villages throughout the I-75 corridor.

“We extend our appreciation for the patience of the citizens of Ohio who have endured the orange barrels, narrow lanes, slow traffic, dust, and noise of these projects. It is through these inconveniences that we stand here today to celebrate the end result,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.

Freight traffic on the corridor is expected to increase significantly with the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan in 2025. Ohio exporters sell more goods to Canada than to our next nine largest foreign markets combined.

“I am proud of the hard work our team at ODOT has put into keeping our transportation network positioned for the future,” said ODOT District 2 Deputy Director Patrick McColley.

“From the designers to the project managers and communications staff, everyone has played a key role in getting us to completion,” said ODOT District 1 Deputy Director Chris Hughes.

Across the state, the I-75 corridor averages more than 68,000 vehicles a day, including 14,400 trucks.