Project Background

Interstate 475 (I-475) is a major thoroughfare through the Greater Toledo Area.  The northern portion of I-475 connects Downtown Toledo to its western neighborhoods and suburbs, including Sylvania, Ottawa Hills, and Holland.  Additionally, I-475 serves as a link between the major north-south routes of the United States, including U.S. Route 23 (U.S. 23) and Interstate 75 (I-75). 

In 2007, the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG) began studying I-475 to create a strategic plan and prioritize improvements for the entire length of I-475 in the Toledo Metropolitan Area.  This study laid out certain recommendations, some of which have been constructed and others that are still in development.  One of the areas with identified recommendations was the section between U.S. 23 and Douglas Road.  I-475 currently has three eastbound and three westbound lanes to the east of Douglas Road, but only two lanes traveling each direction west of Douglas Road to U.S. 23.  This area of I-475 was further evaluated by ODOT in 2020 through a Planning Study (PID 108778). 

The 2020 Study analyzed two alternatives for the project area: adding an additional lane in each direction (three lanes total all the time) and adding a SmartLane in each direction (three lanes total during peak hours only).  Additionally, options to convert the partial interchange at Talmadge Road into a full interchange were also studied.  The I-475 alternatives along with the Talmadge Road alternatives were shared with the public at a public meeting in August 2020.  Based on feedback received on these alternatives, a full interchange at Talmadge Road was removed from further consideration. Other alternatives to improve I-475 were recommended for further analysis.

Following the initial 2020 Study, the I-475 East/West Improvement Project (PID 115418) was established. The project will further examine alternatives recommended from the 2020 Planning Study for improving safety and congestion along this section of I-475.  As the proposed project progresses through design and later into construction, information will be shared with the public on this website and through email updates (see the "Subscribe for Updates" tab to sign up).  A public meeting was held in October 2023 to provide an introduction of the project to the public.  Once the current phase of analysis and design refinements are complete, another public meeting will be held to share the project updates and gather additional feedback; this meeting is anticipated to be held later in 2024.  The feedback received will help ODOT as the project design continues to be refined.  

Purpose & Need

The purpose of this project is to reduce vehicle congestion and improve safety throughout the northern I-475 corridor in Lucas County, Ohio.   

Need Elements

Traffic Congestion Reduction.  The I-475 corridor being studied is a highly traveled freeway connecting several sections of the Toledo Metropolitan Area.  Level of Service (LOS) is a term to evaluate how well a roadway operates based on measures like vehicle speed, density, and congestion.  The evaluations performed on this corridor show that some roadway segments are operating at an average to below-average Level of Service and the conditions are projected to worsen in the future. 

Safety.  Crash data along this segment of I-475 from 2019-2021 showed that there were almost 300 reported crashes.  Over one-third of these crashes were rear end crashes with an additional one-third of the crashes being sideswipe crashes due to passing.  Both crash types are indicative of congestion issues.  

Secondary Needs

Reconnecting Neighborhoods.  I-475 bisected many neighborhoods when it was built in 1968.  Where possible, this project aims to incorporate complete streets elements to improve mobility and help reconnect neighborhoods in the area.