Starting in early May, West Clifton Boulevard at Riverside Drive will be off-limits to vehicle traffic as crews tackle critical repair work on a key interceptor tunnel shaft, according to the City of Lakewood. The closure is slated to run through February 2027, turning this stretch into a long-term construction zone and reshaping parking in the immediate area. Access to parking on the north side of the street will be shut down, while parking on the south side will stay open. City officials say residents in the work zone have already been notified and should be ready for posted detours and shifting lanes throughout the project.
What Crews Are Fixing and Why
The work is part of the Lakewood Interceptor Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, a multi-year effort to shore up the city’s aging combined sewer system. According to the City of Lakewood, the interceptor runs more than 3.5 miles and carries both wastewater and stormwater from about 77% of Lakewood to the Lakewood Wastewater Treatment Plant. The century-old tunnel is being relined and outfitted with new vertical access points to cut down on inflow and help prevent overflows into Lake Erie.
Recent Work and the Remaining Repair
Trade publications report that a $28 million relining effort, led by contractor Nerone & Sons, wrapped up a two-year rehabilitation late last year. What is left is a smaller but tricky piece of the job: work on a manhole and an access shaft near Riverside Drive and West Clifton. As reported by Underground Construction, the shaft work requires heavy equipment and robust safety barriers, which is why the intersection at Riverside is getting a full closure for the duration.
Traffic, Parking and What Drivers Should Expect
According to the City of Lakewood’s Facebook update, parking access on the north side of West Clifton at the work site will be closed, while access on the south side will remain available. Drivers should budget extra time and expect lane shifts, marked detours, and plenty of concrete barriers around the construction zone, and may want to favor alternate routes while the shaft is under repair. The city says emergency response, trash collection, and transit routing will be coordinated with crews so basic services keep running even as the road stays shut.
Where to Get Updates
Residents can sign up for email alerts and use an interactive project map to track locations and timing as the work moves along. Per the City of Lakewood, City Engineer Mark Papke is the listed project contact and can be reached at 216-529-6807 or [email protected] for questions about schedules or neighborhood impacts.
Broader Context
Fixing up the interceptor is a key piece of the city’s Clean Water Lakewood program, aimed at cutting the amount of stormwater and sewage that can overwhelm the treatment plant and spill into the Rocky River or Lake Erie during big storms. As reported by Underground Construction, completing this tunnel work also sets the stage for a planned combined-sewer overflow storage tank near the wastewater plant, which officials say will further curb pollution when the weather turns especially rough.
