Lane Widening Could Remedy Royalton Road, I-71 Traffic Woes

STRONGSVILLE, OH — The constant traffic backups near the I-71 ramps at Royalton Road in Strongsville could soon be a thing of the past. The Ohio Department of Transportation and city government are working together to implement changes to the I-71 northbound ramp stemming from Royalton Road eastbound. ODOT officials say the gridlock from those turning onto Royalton from I-71 are actually caused by lanes that are too narrow for the flow of traffic entering onto 71 North from the other direction.

The improvements, which will cost about $1 million, will add an extra lane destined for the 71 North on ramp, which will help vehicles to enter the highway faster and clear the backups on the overpass above on Royalton Road. The newly-doubled lanes will merge on the ramp itself and before vehicles enter the highway.

Traffic congestion has long plagued the area, specifically on weekends and holidays when shoppers head to busy SouthPark Mall, which is situated just a quarter mile from the 71 ramps. In fact, a recent survey from ODOT showed that an average 17,000 vehicles use the 71 Northbound ramp every day.

The project will be financially supported 90% by the state and 10% by the City of Strongsville, which will fork over a bit more than $100,000 for the changes. Traffic signage at the interchange will also be replaced to reflect the new traffic pattern.

Improvements are scheduled to begin in the coming month and will be complete by the fall. Current traffic will be maintained during construction. Minimal disruptions are expected.