Northbound I-71 traffic through downtown Cincinnati will be rerouted away from Fort Washington Way for about 18 months starting in spring 2027, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

The closure is part of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project, which includes a $4.4 billion dollar estimate covering the entire corridor project. For Hyde Park and Oakley residents who commute via I-71, the detour means a longer loop: drivers heading north from Kentucky will be sent to I-275, then north on I-471 to reach downtown and the east side.

Eastbound Fort Washington Way will also close during the same period, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. WKRC reported the closures could overlap at times, potentially shutting down all of Fort Washington Way. Future phases could also affect southbound I-71 traffic, with some drivers redirected toward I-471.

No exact start date has been set. ODOT Project Manager Tommy Arnold told WVXU on Wednesday, Oct. 7, there are more than 30 bridges and overpasses in a single mile near where I-71, I-75 and US 50 meet, requiring careful sequencing.

"It's just the connection from the existing Brent Spence Bridge to Fort Washington Way, so 75 stays open and 471 is open as well so there's a lot of options to get around," Arnold told WLWT.

I-75 will remain open throughout the project, with the exception of some weekend and overnight closures, according to ODOT.

To handle the diverted traffic, ODOT plans to add a lane on I-471 and I-71 on the Ohio side through pavement restriping. The agency also said it will evaluate and update signal timing on local roads where traffic may divert. ODOT is working with Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze to program alternate routes into navigation apps once detours take effect.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Project Manager Stacee Hans said this planned closure will differ from past emergencies. The 2020 Brent Spence Bridge fire closed the bridge for 41 days, and the 2024 Daniel Carter Beard Bridge fire took 100 days to repair.

Hans told WVXU that I-75 will stay open this time, unlike those incidents.

The companion bridge is expected to open in 2031. New connections to both the existing bridge and the new span are expected to be complete in 2033. An estimated $1 billion in freight passes through the corridor daily, according to a June 2026 Cincinnati City Council presentation by Arnold.

Residents can track construction updates and detour information at brentspencebridgecorridor.com.