Photo by Christopher Dacanay Part of the Logan Avenue ramp to state Route 7 has given way due to continued slope failure, necessitating the ramp’s indefinite closure by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

MINGO JUNCTION — Continued slope failure may have closed the Logan Avenue ramp to Ohio 7 early, but it hasn’t affected plans to repair and reinforce the ramp area, an Ohio Department of Transportation official said Friday.

ODOT decided Thursday to indefinitely close the ramp to all traffic out of an abundance of caution, according to Lauren Borell, ODOT District 11 public information officer. Photos of the ramp show a portion of pavement on the ramp’s shoulder that has collapsed down the hillside.

Repairing that problematic slope already occupied ODOT’s to-do list, as part of an upcoming Ohio 7 culvert replacement project. That $3.03 million undertaking would see crews replace a culvert under the ramp and Ohio 7, fully replace pavement and resurface an existing concrete retaining wall.

ODOT anticipated construction to begin in the spring and planned to close the ramp until work concluded in the fall of 2026.

However, recent weather conditions have exacerbated damage that already existed when ODOT began monitoring the location in January, Borell said. On site Thursday to evaluate the area, ODOT’s geotechnical engineer decided the ramp’s immediate closure would be best for safety.

Borell said the ramp’s early closure won’t affect the timeline of the project, for which an exact construction start date is unknown and has yet to be announced. It will affect drivers, who ODOT is rerouting southbound on Route 7 to the Commercial Avenue exit, where they can loop around and enter Ohio 7 northbound.

Stretching 336 miles along Ohio’s eastern and southern border, Ohio 7 has come a long way since its advent as a single-lane road largely carved into hillsides, Borell said.

“Over the years we have maintained it and will continue to maintain it,” Borell said of the highway. “We have a great geotechnical engineer on staff who is constantly examining the hillsides and roadways for any signs of slippage along these locations. Although we know it can be frustrating with these closures and everything, safety is our No. 1 priority with these areas, and we appreciate the public’s patience with us as we continue repairing these areas. And we’ll continue to keep repairing Route 7 for years to come.”