May 28—Highway construction near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base causing traffic to detour due to ramp closures is part of an estimated $2.52 million project set to end late next year, according to the state.

The first two parts include ramp and lane closings at the Ohio 444 and Ohio 4 interchange, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

They will be done this summer and fall while the third phase is set to start in spring 2025, ODOT said.

The south Ohio 4 to north Ohio 444 ramp closing, which started May 20 and will last about four months, is needed to complete concrete and joint repairs on the ramp, according to ODOT.

Traffic will detour using Ohio 4 to Harshman Road to Ohio 4 to Ohio 444, state officials said.

“We encourage drivers to provide a few extra minutes to their drives when traveling through work zones,” ODOT spokeswoman Loryn Bryson said in an email. “We ask everyone to slow down and pay attention in this area as workers are present.”

Through mid-April, according to the state, the number of crashes where ODOT crews have been hit totaled 43. That’s a significant increase, as the number of crews hit in 2023 for the entire year was 56, officials said.

Ohio 444 also has interior lane closures at the Ohio 4 interchange that are expected to last about two months, according to ODOT. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction as crews will be working on the bridge, according to the state.

The project’s second phase, which will also close ramps for about two months each, is set to start in mid-summer and end in the fall, ODOT officials said.

The south Ohio 444 to south Ohio 4 ramp and the north Ohio 444 to north Ohio 4 ramp will both be closed at that time, according to ODOT.