The light is at the end of the tunnel, or in this case, on the other side of the bridge, in a few months.

The Monroe Street bridge closure over US-23 is a week away. It will be the most invasive and toughest part of the project for our community, with the 150-day closure scheduled to begin March 8.

To recap Season 1, motorists are experiencing the flattened southbound on-ramp curve (opened in September 2025) and will see the same benefit on the new northbound off-ramp later this summer. The substructure for the widened portion of the Monroe Street bridge is in place and the new beams have been set.

As we look ahead to Season 2, below are the top five additional improvements our community will see when construction is finished this year.

Dual Left Turn Lanes – Westbound Monroe Street to Southbound US-23

The westbound Monroe Street to southbound US-23 movement was given the poorest traffic operational grade possible (Level of Service F) in the 2019 Feasibility Study. Level of Service is a qualitative measure used to evaluate performance measures, such as vehicle speed, density, congestion, and traffic flow. Similar to academic performances these grades range from A (free flow) to F (forced or breakdown flow).

For a signalized intersection an 80-second delay or greater qualifies as an “F.” The study indicated, without improvements, this delay would grow to just short of two minutes without added capacity for the movement. Motorists frequently sit through multiple traffic signal cycles waiting for their opportunity for a green light. The delay can create aggressive decision making which in turn yields more accidents.

This metric was the key reason for the Monroe Street bridge widening. The current single turning lane is 480 feet long. In August motorists will see two left turning lanes with a total storage length of 1,180 feet, more than doubling the capacity. More vehicles will be able to access the movement in a given cycle, which in turn will reduce aggressive driving.

Alexis Road and Monroe Street Intersection

The busiest intersections in all of Sylvania, Alexis Road, Monroe Street and Acres Drive, surrounds Seney Park. The current triangle of signals worked well in the 1970s when traffic counts were 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day. The current average daily traffic through this area is 35,000 vehicles per day and can exceed 40,000 vehicles per day at times. It is the third most traveled bridge deck in northwest Ohio not on the mainline interstate system. The three traffic signals, tight spacing, and unusual geometry, worked well in the 1970s with lower volumes. However, the growth of Sylvania and expansion westward has increased traffic flow for the last 50 years. Movement through the area is unsteady and congestion yields to accidents when queued motorists lose patience.

The three traffic signals will be removed in lieu of one large new intersection that will bring Alexis Road, Monroe Street, and the new northbound US-23 on/off ramp together. The intersection will include dual left turn lanes from the off-ramp to westbound Monroe Street and from eastbound Monroe Street to eastbound Alexis Road. The intersection will include all new traffic control detection systems that will extend green times on demand for the daily peak commute times.

Widened Northbound US-23 Off-Ramp

The existing northbound off ramp is long, 2,200 feet to be exact. All but the last 150 feet of the ramp is one single lane. For the AM and PM peak commuters the unwritten rule is eastbound cars hug the right shoulder, westbound cars hug the left shoulder, and if you don’t follow this rule be prepared to get the horn.

The new ramp will have five lanes, two left turn, two through to Alexis Road, and one right turn to Monroe Street.

The added ramp capacity will allow motorists to advance through the traffic signal more efficiently and eliminate queued traffic backing up into northbound US-23 through lanes.

New Bicycle and Pedestrian Multi-Use Path

Both sides of the existing bridge have five-foot sidewalks immediately adjacent to the traveled lanes. The Sylvania non-motorized community will tell you cars and trucks moving past at 35 mph, with the only thing separating the walker from the bottom of US-23 being a 36” railing, is uncomfortable to say the least.

The new bridge will include a 14-foot wide multi-use path along the north side, making the experience much more protected and safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. The path will be separated from Monroe Street vehicles by a median barrier.

New Eastbound Third Lane – Monroe Street

Eastbound Monroe Street, beginning at Harroun Road, to the new southbound US-23 on-ramp willnhave a new dedicated third lane of travel. Motorists, in particular during the morning commute, experience backups getting to the interchange, sometimes as far back as River Crossings.

The additional lane will increase capacity, reduce congestion, and provide for a quicker travel time getting to the morning destination on the west side of the interchange.

This is my 13th year working for the city of Sylvania in our Service Department and 10th on the interchange project alone. My work began in 2016. It is exciting to see a decade’s worth of planning, funding procurement, design, and now construction all come together to build something that will serve our community for years to come.

Yes, the light is on the other side of the bridge.

Joe Shaw P.E., P.S., is the city of Sylvania’s Director of Public Safety & Service.