Blue Church Road north of SR 521 closes Wednesday for the second phase of a culvert replacement project, sending drivers on a different detour than the one used during the south-side closure that began Aug. 10.
The north-side closure runs from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28, according to ODOT's weekly construction report. Drivers will detour via Kilbourne Road to SR 521, or the reverse.
That's a different route than the south-side detour, which sent traffic through Wilson Road, SR 61 and SR 521. The south-side phase wraps up Wednesday when crews shift north.
The full SR 521/Blue Church Road culvert replacement is expected to finish Aug. 28, weather permitting.
Four projects hitting Delaware County drivers
The Blue Church Road work is one of at least four simultaneous ODOT construction projects affecting Delaware County the week of Aug. 17. The Delaware County Engineer's Office, led by County Engineer Chris Bauserman, listed all four in a Aug. 14, post on X.
Here's what else is active:
- US-23 northbound and southbound between Hills-Miller Road and SR 229: reduced to one lane daily from 7 p.m. to 3 p.m. (20 hours per day). Started Aug. 10 and runs through fall 2026.
- SR 229 between US-23 and the Village of Ashley: various daytime lane restrictions, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., through fall 2026.
- I-71 northbound ramp to US-36/SR 37 (Sunbury Parkway): reduced to one lane through fall 2026.
The US-23 restrictions are the newest addition for commuters heading north toward Delaware or south toward Powell and Lewis Center. The SR 229 resurfacing and I-71 ramp work have been active since spring.
What drivers need to know
All ODOT construction is weather-dependent. ODOT's Delaware County data had not been updated since the prior week as of the Aug. 16 report, though the Blue Church Road closure dates are confirmed by both the weekly report and the county engineer's office.
Drivers can check real-time traffic conditions at OHGO.com.
