Toledo road work on Executive Parkway sparks confusion and safety complaints

Drivers face daily confusion along Executive Parkway in Toledo due to an ongoing street improvement project. Residents report wrong-way drivers and safety hazards along the busy commercial corridor. The $2.3 million project covers the stretch between Central Avenue and Secor Road.

Local resident Mark Boettner said the street only required repaving.

“This road, all it needed was to be repaved and they spent millions of dollars putting these islands in. That could have gone to roads that are in bad, bad shape. The money could’ve been spent wiser,” Boettner said.

The work combines roadway resurfacing with new traffic-calming measures. Neighbors report seeing issues on the street every single day.

Nearby residents Mark Marsh and Debora Marsh watch the traffic problems unfold regularly.

“I mean we got flaggers and they’re going, ‘Woah, woah, woah.’ Like today, ‘Woah, woah, woah, you’re going the wrong way.’ I do worry about the workers,” Debora Marsh said.

A vehicle drove into a closed section of the road during a news interview. The car appeared to travel the wrong way before turning around.

“Where’s a cop when you need one?” Marsh said.

“I see this all day long,” said Boettner.

Neighbors said the situation complicates daily travel along the Toledo roadway. Drivers frequent medical offices, senior apartments, banks and restaurants in the area.

“Right now it’s very dangerous. I’d like to see more police presence out here during the construction,” Boettner said.

The City of Toledo said the new medians will enhance safety. Officials noted the design intentionally slows down passing traffic.

The city acknowledged that construction activity causes temporary inconveniences for drivers. Flaggers guide traffic around equipment during working hours.

Crews also work directly with business owners to maintain property access. Officials urged drivers to obey all posted signs and cones.

Extra caution is needed after work crews leave the site for the day. Officials expect workers to complete the project by the end of October.

Motorists will encounter one final traffic pattern change before completion. The street will become one-way from Secor Road to Central Avenue at the end of October. Crews will then apply the final layer of asphalt.

Municipal infrastructure projects often involve roadway resurfacing and physical traffic barriers to manage vehicle speeds. Local public works departments oversee contractor operations and coordinate traffic detours through active work zones. Urban corridors remain partially open to preserve business access during multi-phase street improvements.

City officials urged residents and business owners to register for Toledo email updates. The alerts provide notices about upcoming closures and traffic detours.