BEAVER TWP., Ohio - The Ohio Department of Transportation is closing State Route 626 in Beaver Township beginning today as work begins on construction of a new roundabout just south of State Route 164.

The detour will be State Route 165 to State Route 7.

Officials expect the work to be complete by October 1.

The interchange is designed to provide more convenient access to State Route 164 from Interstate 680.

Currently, the final interchange before 680 merges with the Ohio Turnpike is on Western Reserve Road along the Boardman and Beaver Township line.

The Western Reserve Road interchange is noted for traffic congestion during peak driving hours.

In addition to the new interchange north of State Route 164, ODOT says the plans call for pavement reconstruction, a roundabout, and new lane configurations along State Route 164.

The roundabout will be located at the intersection of SR 164 and Route 626 between I-680 and the turnpike.

In 2019, a project would get underway to widen Route 164 between I-680 and the Ohio Turnpike.

It's estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 vehicles travel SR 164 each day between Western Reserve Road and the site of the proposed interchange.

The estimated construction cost for projects in the area is expected to total around $20 million.