The closure of a main thoroughfare on the city of Delaware’s east side is going to last longer than originally expected.
The ongoing closure of East Central Avenue has been extended through June 8, the city announced May 26. The roadway was originally supposed to reopen May 28 after a 45-day closure that started April 13.
Multiple utility conflicts have prevented the work from being completed in the original 45-day window, according to a May 26 email from City Engineer Jonathan Owen.
East Central Avenue/State Route 37 has been fully closed to through traffic in both directions between Lake Street and the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge underpass at the triangle with U.S. 36/ Sunbury Road and East William Street.
The closure was needed to accommodate roadway widening work on East Central Avenue between East Street and East William Street as part of the $44-million “Point” improvement project that aims to relieve congestion, increase safety, and improve infrastructure where U.S. 36/Sunbury Road and State Route 37 meet underneath the railroad bridge in the eastern area of the city.
Drivers can use East William and Lake streets as a detour for both east and westbound traffic. The East Central Avenue and Lake Street intersection remains open, but East Central Avenue is fully closed at the east side of the intersection.
East Central Avenue between Potter and East streets will remain open to local traffic, and will be accessible via Potter, Richardson, Channing, Hammond, Wade and Parker streets. East and Moore streets will only be accessible from Fair Avenue and not from East Central Avenue. Foley Street will only be accessible from East William Street and not from East Central Avenue, according to the city’s website.
During the East Central closure, Winter Street will be restricted to right-in/right-out turns only on both sides of Lake Street.
The city is in the final months of the Point project, which started in 2023. Work is expected to wrap up by August.
The roadway has previously only had one lane in each direction beneath the railroad bridge, causing lengthy backups regularly during peak times. Once the project is done, the roadway will have two lanes in each direction under the railroad bridge.
On average, 25,000 vehicles pass below the railway bridge each day. As Delaware County keeps growing, models project the number of vehicles will jump to almost 40,000 a day by 2040, a city website states.
Delaware County and eastern Columbus suburbs reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@dispatch.com and @mariadevito13.dispatch.com on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Delaware’s East Central Avenue closure extended as utility issues delay work
Reporting by Maria DeVito, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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