TOLEDO, Ohio — So, here's a quiz for you to consider. True or false: Work on the Anthony Wayne Trail is now halfway done.
Depending on how you look at it, the answer may be both yes and no, but either way, drivers seem to be pleased with the progress.
Here's where the projects stand.
ODOT's initial plan was to work in two phases on the Anthony Wayne Trail between Western and Collingwood. The goal was to be done by this fall.
Phase 1 is done - hence the "halfway" - and we are now in Phase 2, but crews now won't finish until spring 2020. So, we're sort of halfway done. Still following along? Regardless, drivers are noticing the difference.
Josh Jones of south Toledo has witnessed the work day by day.
"I drive the trail every day, I think going north is really hectic, especially in the morning. It's been like that for a very long time," he said. "Overall, I think the project is great, I think what they've done so far, it's a smooth ride. I do not miss the potholes."
It might be taking a little longer than expected, but the Ohio Department of Transportation and contracted crews have made up for lost time.
They saw an opportunity to work while railroad companies allowed uninterrupted track time going on for another project, and crews could lay beams down on I-75.
Regardless of the road construction, businesses in the area said they're happy to see progress.
The manager at the nearby Boost Mobile store on Western Avenue is one of them.
"Customers complain about the road. They have to turn around through Maumee by the downtown, come all over just to come to my store. And the past couple weeks, I really feel it's kind of been slow a little bit, it hurts my customers to come into my doors. But actually, after the road is open up now, I think my customers are really coming back," Fadi Alyeh said.
So then work on the Trail is half finished? Well, for that part of the Trail, the answer is yes.
But in 2021, the City of Toledo is still set to completely excavate the part of the trail that was temporarily resurfaced this year in the Glendale area.
The road needs to be reconstructed from the base up to get rid of long-term pothole nuisances that have plagued drivers for decades.
Barbara Jones also drives into work on the Anthony Wayne Trail every day.
"I think the guys work really hard to keep the traffic flowing. We get more of a problem with drivers that don't honor the arrows and the direction that they want the traffic flow to go, so I think that if the drivers would pay attention to the signs and to the construction workers and their safety, it would be a lot better.
"I go to work some times early in the morning and I have no problem. I mean, it's a little bit longer, but if you're smart, you get up, you plan your day, and you leave a little bit early, but it will be great when it's done," she said.
In the meantime, ODOT will continue to work on neighboring streets like Emerald Avenue and City Park, as well as the greater I-75 project through downtown Toledo involving Erie Street and Collingwood Boulevard.