I-71 lane to close Sunday for repairs
Emergency pavement repairs are planned for a section of Interstate 71 on the South Side on Sunday morning, the Ohio Department of Transportation has announced.
Beginning at 7 a. m., the far right lane of I- 71 southbound will close, reducing traffic to two lanes between Greenlawn Avenue and Stringtown Road. The ramp from Interstate 270 westbound to I-71 southbound also will close.
As a detour, drivers should use I- 270 to Route 62, to I- 270 eastbound to I- 71 southbound.
After repairs are made to southbound I-71, crews will begin work on the far left lane on I- 71 northbound between Stringtown Road and Greenlawn Avenue.
All ramps and lanes in the area are scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday.
ODOT said it is taking advantage of warmer weather and making more permanent pavement repairs this weekend. Similar repairs were made on a section of I- 71 beginning at noon Friday and continuing into Saturday morning.
Education records for the more than 12,000 students of the now-closed Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow will be sent to the school districts in which they reside by Tuesday.
In his first public statement since he was appointed interim master to oversee ECOT’s closure, lawyer Myron Terlecky said that while it is possible that ECOT could reopen, that isn’t likely this school year, and students should find new schools.
“While the interim master is working to position ECOT to reopen in the future, it is unlikely this will occur during the current school semester. All families are encouraged to identify alternate educational opportunities for former ECOT students,” Terlecky said in a statement.
ECOT closed on Jan. 19 after the Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West of Toledo suspended its sponsorship of the online school because of financial difficulties. Earlier this week, a Franklin County judge approved the appointment of an interim master to oversee ECOT’s assets and closure.
Under an agreement between ECOT and Lake Erie West, ECOT can continue its appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court; a successful appeal could allow the school to reopen next year.
ECOT is fighting orders by the state Department of Education to repay $80 million in aid received from the state for students who could not be verified.