CINCINNATI — As thousands of people come and go from downtown Cincinnati Friday evening, the Ohio Department of Transportation will be closing part of southbound Interstate 71 for construction work on the Lytle Tunnel.
If you're driving into Downtown early, you'll avoid the closure. If you're cruising through Downtown later, you'll need to plan for a detour.
ODOT will close the southbound lanes at Reading Road (Exit 2) starting at 10 p.m. All traffic will be diverted onto I-471. An alternate route is the Norwood Lateral to I-75.
The following ramps will also be closed:
- Reading Road/Eden Park Drive entrance ramp to southbound I-71 (use Liberty Street entrance ramp to southbound I-471)
- Third Street ramp to southbound I-71 (use Gilbert Avenue or Reading Road exit ramps to Downtown)
Detours will be posted. The interstate and ramps are expected to be reopen by 9 a.m. Saturday.
Crowds from the Bunbury Music Festival and Great American Ball Park will likely be departing from Downtown at similar times. Bunbury ends at 11 p.m. Friday. The Reds play the Washington Nationals at 7:10 p.m. followed by a Friday night fireworks show.
Visit WCPO.com/Traffic for real-time traffic updates.
