Part Of I-71 To Be Closed Wednesday Night, Thursday Morning

CLEVELAND — Part of I-71 south in Cleveland will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.

The left three lanes of I-71 south will be closed between Buhrer Avenue and W. 25th Street starting at 10 p.m. on Wednesday. The closure will remain in place through 6 a.m. on Thursday.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said crews will be doing overhead sign work on the highway, prompting the closure. However, access to all ramps along that route and access to I-71 south will be maintained throughout the project.

Travel organization AAA is predicting holiday travel will hit pre-pandemic levels in Ohio and across the U.S. Approximately 4.4 million Ohioans are expected to travel between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, AAA said.

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"Americans who canceled their vacations in 2020 want to gather with family and friends for the holidays this year, although they will still be mindful of the pandemic and the new omicron variant," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. "With vaccines widely available, conditions are much different and many people feel a greater level of comfort with travel."