E. 9th Street exit to close Monday, affecting downtown Cleveland commuters through late October

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is preparing to close a ramp into downtown Cleveland that will be a major disruption for the rest of the summer.

19 News spoke with Jacob McCullough, who lives downtown. He said he will now have to give himself much more time for travel.

“Anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes,” McCullough said.

Nathaniel Birach drives into downtown every week from Vermilion and uses the E 9th Street exit.

“On busy weekends it already takes 20 minutes to get through the city,” Birach said. “Having to go 2 exits over potentially is going to be another 20 minutes are so on both ends”

On June 29, the eastbound exit to E. 9th St. will close and is not scheduled to reopen until late October.

According to a spokesperson, ODOT was informed by the contractor earlier this month of the closure, and the work is for the new ramp and a new bridge support pier.

All of this work is a part of the Cleveland Innerbelt Modernization Plan.

ODOT is suggesting a detour of exiting on Ontario, then a right on Carnegie to E. 9th St.

This closure will have major impacts on morning commuters trying to get into downtown, as well as ballgame traffic for the Guardians, and any events at Rocket Fieldhouse.