Interstate 80

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Interstate 80 follows the Ohio Turnpike east from the Indiana state line near Columbia to I-76 south of Lordstown. I-90 accompanies I-80 along the toll road as well east to Exit 142 near Elyria. The I-80/90 section joins the Toledo/Perrysburg area with Fremont, Norwalk and Lorain. I-280 links I-80/90 with Northwood, Oregon and Toledo north from Exit 71.

The Ohio Turnpike generally bypasses Cleveland to the south, traveling through an array of cities from North Ridgeville to Strongsville and Streetsboro. I-480 comprises a suburban loop north from Exit 152 to Exit 187.

Turning southeast by Warren, I-80 remains along the Ohio Turnpike into northern Mahoning County. There I-76 takes over southeast to Canfield while I-80 shifts onto a toll free route east to Youngstown, Girard and Hubbard. I-680 forms an urban loop south from I-80 to I-76.

Interstate 80 Ohio Guides

The Ohio Turnpike opened in 1955. The Ohio Turnpike Commission announced work to expand the 159 of the 241 miles of the toll road to six overall lanes in April 1995. Expected to cost $460 million and be completed by 2000, 13 construction contracts were to be awarded in 1996. A toll hike was to fund the expansion, but due to opposition from state lawmakers, the 82% increase was instead phased in over a three and a half year period instead of all at once. The reduced revenue slowed progress on the widening project.1

Widening for 59.3 miles of the Turnpike was completed by 1997, and the time table for overall completion was projected for 2004. This later changed to 2008, with three segments remaining incomplete. Those were from U.S. 20 to I-75 and I-75 to I-280 south of Toledo and a four mile segment east of the Cuyahoga River in Summit County due to complications with the replacement of a railroad overpass and associated utility work.1

Work was completed between I-75 and I-280 in 2007, but funding issues delayed work on the remaining two segments. Construction on a $33.5 million contract commenced in 2013 on the section from U.S. 20 to I-75 at Perrysburg. Costs for the overall widening of the Turnpike increased to $750 million.1

The Ohio Turnpike Commission announced plans to replace the eight pairs of Service Plazas in 1996. Plans called for accelerated construction, with the replacement of all Service Plazas within four years.1 The westernmost facilities along the toll road, the Indian Meadow and Tiffin River Service Areas in Willis County closed in January 2006.2 The Oak Openings and Fallen Timbers Service Areas, the next areas to the east, were also to close under the premise that a new truck-stop style plaza would be built along each direction of I-80/90 in Fulton County. However plans shifted and the larger plaza designs were scrapped. Instead the Willis and Fulton County plazas were eventually rebuilt similar to the Wyandot and Blue Heron Plazas in Ottawa County, which reopened in May 2005.2 The Oak Openings and Fallen Timbers Service Areas however would not be reconstructed, partially because they were minimally profitable.1

The service areas northeast of the town of Swanton permanently closed on December 1, 2011.3 The facilities were demolished in 2012.1 A $30.7 million project started in 2021 builds a new toll plaza at the site of the Oak Openings and Fallen Timbers Service Plaza. One of four plazas to be built or reconstructed along the Ohio Turnpike, Toll Plaza 49 incorporates a modernized toll collection system with Open Road Tolling.4

Interstate 80 scenes

Former button copy sign for I-80 along Salt Springs Road north in Weathersfield Township.
10/07/01

SR 11 overlaps with Interstate 80 west from Salt Springs Road to I-680 and east from Exit 226 to SR 711 in the city of Girard.
10/07/01

Sources:
  • "2 decades later, widening of turnpike finally finished." Toledo Blade (OH), November 13, 2014.
  • "Plans for turnpike plaza in Fulton County scrapped." Toledo Blade (OH), April 11, 2007.
  • "Swanton Turnpike Plazas Close; To Be Rebuilt." Archbold Buckeye (OH), December 21, 2011.
  • "Swanton area toll plaza among Turnpike’s major 2021 projects." Fulton County Expositor (Wauseon, OH), March 28, 2021.


Photo Credits:

10/07/01 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 71
Interstate 75
Interstate 76
Interstate 77
Interstate 90
Interstate 280
Interstate 480
Interstate 680

Page Updated 09-04-2021.

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