HOWLAND — Motorists frustrated with the traffic surrounding some of the township’s central roads will have some relief.

The diverging diamond project at state Routes 46 and 82 is expected to open today, according to officials at Wednesday’s Howland trustees meeting.

Police Chief Nick Roberts said department heads learned the news at a meeting with the Ohio Department of Transportation. The exact time for its opening was not provided.

Justin Chesnic, ODOT District 4 public information officer, said Thursday he anticipated it will be in the afternoon.

“The first couple of times folks drive through it, stay alert, pay attention to the signs. It might feel odd crossing over to the other side of the road,” Chesnic said. “But with all those signs and pavement markings, they should be fine and comfortable with it.”

Howland was in ODOT’s 2015, 2016 and 2017 Highway Safety Improvement Program Urban Non-Freeway priority lists.

Per the state’s safety study, “159 crashes occurred at the Route 46 and Route 82 ramp intersections between 2012 and 2016.”

The project launched Sept. 14, 2023, and was originally scheduled for completion by the end of summer 2026.

Trustee James LaPolla said officials have received an email invitation to a ribbon-cutting for the project at 10 a.m. Oct. 17.