The Ohio Department of Transportation’s planned closure of State Route 315 between U.S. 23 and State Route 750 in both directions has been delayed until Aug. 1, starting at 7 a.m.

The work has been delayed “to better coordinate with another construction project in Delaware County,” ODOT officials say.

The work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 5 by 3:30 p.m. and the road will be reopened, ODOT officials say.

However, the work is weather dependent and may be postponed or canceled without prior notice from ODOT, they say.

Due to the high traffic volumes on SR 315, ODOT had released a notice of the closure in advance of starting the work, said Nancy Burton, ODOT District 6 spokeswoman.

Burton said SR 315 will close between U.S. 23 and SR 750 in both directions to replace a large drainage pipe that is several feet long between Hyatts and Bean Oller roads.

If the pipe were to fail there could be a collapse in the road, “We would be talking about a closure longer than a few days,” Burton said.

Burton added that ODOT can only post a detour that takes motorists from one state route or roadway ODOT maintains to another.

SR 315 will be open only to residential traffic while all other traffic will officially be detoured from SR 315 to U.S. 23.

Burton said in an email to The Gazette, “It’s important for residents who live between those two points so they know how to travel to and from work.”

However, motorists can use whatever route they want to get around the closure. “ODOT can’t detour to municipality or county routes without permission,” Burton said.

ODOT’S detour for northbound SR 315 is SR 750 east to northbound U.S. 23 to SR 315.

ODOT’s detour for southbound SR 315 is U.S. 23 south to SR 750 and west to SR 315.

See ODOT’s Facebook page for more information — http://www.facebook.com/ODOTColumbusDistrict6.