TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) -
The ramp from I-475 westbound to Douglas Rd. in west Toledo is set to re-open Tuesday, weather permitting. When that ramp has reopened, the exit at Jackman Rd. will be permanently closed.
The ramp closures has caused financial hardship for businesses in the area.
"We lost about 35 to 40 percent of our business, just to the construction that is going on. As a matter of fact we were going to cut back on some jobs and then we decided against it because we had some people working for us for a long time and we thought we'd just take the extra expense just to keep those people at jobs," said Sam Shrayda, Vice President at the Stop and Shop Stores.
The ramp closures are part of a larger project, which includes the construction of a new interchange over I-475 at ProMedica Parkway, the widening of I-475 and improved lane capacity on I-475 and I-75.
The ramp re-opening should bring a smile to the faces of drivers and business owners alike, but Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski, who represent the area, says there will still be some headaches before the project is completed.
"You know it's a double edged sword I think in a sense that we're happy that Douglas Road is opening, but I liken it to a water balloon, so you only have so much, the value of what you have is still contained. We have the same amount of traffic going through here, so we're closing off Jackman and getting the traffic coming through Douglas, so I'll be happy when all of the construction is done," said Waniewski.
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