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Collapse could cause more than traffic problems, economy could also be affected

Tana Weingartner
/
WVXU
In terms of goods and raw materials, an amount equal to three percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product crosses through this stretch of I-75 each year.

Commuters aren't the only ones trying to find new routes following Monday night's overpass collapse on southbound I-75 at Hopple Street. Truck drivers hauling goods and manufacturing products have to divert around town.

Ohio, Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments' CEO Mark Policinski says the predicted multi-day road closure could have economic implications.

We estimate that about 133,000 vehicles, everyday, cross that point. Of that 133,000, about 27,500 are trucks.

"The Hopple Street point on the I-75 corridor is extraordinarily busy," says Policinski. "We estimate that about 133,000 vehicles, everyday, cross that point. Of that 133,000, about 27,500 are trucks. That is a really, really busy part of this region's traffic grid."

He says those numbers come from an OKI traffic study conducted at Hopple Street last year.

The Ohio Department of Transportation, citing a 2009 study, says 178,000 vehicles travel the same stretch. Of that, it says 19,670 are B & C grade commercial vehicles.

Freight trucks carry everything from finished goods to consumers to the raw materials needed to manufacture those goods. With southbound 75 shut down,Ohio Trucking Association President Tom Balzer says there's the potential shoppers may see a financial impact.

"There is that impact to the consumer, of goods not being available at the time that they want it, but I don't foresee it to be a major outage of necessary goods that consumers will see because in this case there are alternative routes to deliver the product," says Balzer.

Policinski isn't sounding the warning sign though. While he expects some issues, he says the highway being closed for a few days will not likely have a large effect on manufacturers.

"I think you have to guard against making this more than it is, even though in the short run, it's going to have an immense impact on the flow of freight in this region," says Policinski. "But, hopefully, we're talking about a matter of days, and therefore when we talk about long-run sustainability of our economy and things like that, we should be okay."

Balzer says detours cause delays in products getting to market. But he says fuel costs, and increases in driving time and miles are the real problem.

"I think the bigger impact for the drivers and the companies is going to be the time issue more than the expense issue because there is such a limited amount of time the drivers can drive," says Balzer. "The increased amount of time it takes to navigate around this will be the bigger challenge, more than the more apparent economic impact."

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.