East-side residents who take I-71 northbound into downtown Cincinnati lost their Second Street exit on Thursday, July 16, and won't get it back until 2028.
The Ohio Department of Transportation closed the I-71 northbound ramp to Second Street as part of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project. Crews began placing barriers at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, and the ramp was fully shut by early Thursday morning, according to WLWT.
The closure affects commuters from east-side communities along I-71, including Indian Hill, Madeira, Mariemont, Terrace Park, and Sycamore Township, who use that exit to reach downtown offices, Paycor Stadium, Great American Ball Park, and The Banks entertainment district.
The detour
Drivers on I-71 northbound crossing the Brent Spence Bridge should stay in the center-right lane. Do not move all the way right. Follow signs marked for Fifth Street and Second Street. The route takes drivers past the convention center on Fifth Street to Race Street, where they turn right and reconnect with Second Street or access The Banks.
More closures stacking up
The Second Street exit is one of several closures ODOT rolled out in a single week:
- Tuesday, July 14: The Fifth Street exit (Exit 1C) was reduced to two lanes so crews can add a third lane to handle diverted traffic.
- Wednesday, July 15: The Gest Street exit from U.S. 50 West was permanently closed. Drivers needing Gest Street must detour onto Linn Street, turn left, then left again onto West 6th Street.
- Thursday, July 16: Second Street between the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge and Elm Street was reduced to one lane starting at 10 p.m. That restriction stays in place until spring 2027.
- Friday, July 17: A stretch of West Third Street from the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge to Central Avenue closed for approximately one week so crews can demolish old Second Street ramps from I-75 and U.S. 50 and build a new collector-distributor system.
Surface streets will feel it too
ODOT District 8 spokesperson Kathleen Fuller warned that the pain extends beyond the closed exits.
"But if you're not using those exits, but you use the other streets in the area on a regular basis, you also need to be prepared for the additional traffic that you're going to be seeing," Fuller told WLWT on Thursday, July 16.
Fuller urged drivers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time for any route through downtown.
What east-side commuters should know
The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project is a years-long construction effort with traffic impacts expected through at least 2028. Fuller told WLWT that additional closures are coming, though ODOT has not announced specific dates or locations.
Residents can sign up for travel advisories at brentspencebridgecorridor.com/construction-updates/travel-updates/ to receive email and text alerts about future closures.
