Northbound I-71 traffic is expected to detour through I-275 and I-471 for about 18 months when the $4.4 billion project enters its first major phase in spring 2027.
Construction crews are expected to reach the western end of Fort Washington Way in spring 2027. The work is tied to a multiyear, $4.4 billion reconstruction of the interstate corridor linking Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Transportation officials have not announced exact closure dates.
The first major phase will rebuild the I-71/I-75 interchange and create new connections to the existing bridge and companion bridge over the Ohio River. The Ohio Department of Transportation, or ODOT, continues to describe the work as a design-build project. Its schedule can change as construction planning moves forward.
Northbound I-71 traffic is expected to detour through I-275 and I-471 for approximately 18 months.
Transportation planners also intend to create an additional lane for access to northbound I-71 through I-471 by changing pavement markings. The plan is meant to keep regional traffic moving, though drivers approaching downtown Cincinnati will face different travel patterns.
Several Fort Washington Way ramps are expected to close during the first phase. The affected connections include ramps from northbound I-71 and southbound I-75 to Fort Washington Way. The eastbound U.S. 50 ramp to Fort Washington Way is also included, along with the westbound Fort Washington Way ramp to northbound I-75. Under the reported traffic plan, the mainline I-75 route should stay open except for some overnight and weekend restrictions.
The ODOT project updates will confirm the final dates, lane configurations and detour instructions. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will also shape cross-river traffic planning because the project serves both Ohio and Kentucky approaches to the Brent Spence corridor.
The first closure will not end the work. A second major phase is anticipated in 2029 and could close southbound I-71 toward Fort Washington Way for roughly 18 months. Local reporting indicates that the phases may overlap, potentially producing a complete closure of Fort Washington Way for several months. That remains a projected scheduling possibility, not a fixed closure announcement.
The broader construction timeline runs into the next decade. The companion bridge is expected to open in 2031. Completion of the new connections to the existing bridge and companion bridge is projected for 2033.
Work affecting Fort Washington Way is expected to continue for about six years.
ODOT project leader Tommy Arnold has said the schedule is not final because of the design-build format and the scale of the construction. Bad weather could affect the work. Possible rises in the Ohio River could also change the schedule.
Transportation officials have indicated that they expect to establish the timing for the northbound I-71 diversion around November or December. That planning milestone should not be treated as a confirmed construction start date.
For the City of Cincinnati, the project will affect access to downtown streets and riverfront destinations even when the interstate mainline remains open. Businesses and event traffic will also face changes. Official detour maps and access rules are expected to distinguish between through traffic and local traffic, as well as individual ramp closures.
At this stage, confirmed information covers the planned northbound I-71 diversion and the Fort Washington Way ramp closures. The broader construction window is also established. No immediate closure appears in the available reporting, and a particular day, lane restriction or alternate route has not been finalized.
ODOT, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the City of Cincinnati are expected to issue further updates before phase dates and detour maps are formally released. Until then, 2027 remains the expected planning window rather than a specific closure date.
