One southbound lane reopens on I-271/Route 8 interchange in Macedonia after tanker crash

The ramp from I-271 south to southbound State Route 8, closed by a tanker crash over the weekend, is reopening with one lane Tuesday afternoon, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced.

ODOT said the ramp was deemed safe to reopen after inspections found no structural damage. However, cleanup crews continue using the ramp as a staging area, meaning only one lane of the ramp will be clear for traffic. There is no timetable on when the second lane will open.

Fatal Route 8 crash: 'He was just doing his everyday job': Driver in fiery crash identified

“Inspectors determined that while repairs will be needed, the damage was cosmetic, not structural,” said ODOT District 4 Deputy Director Gery Noirot. “We are doing everything possible to reopen the full interchange as quickly as possible. However, we will not reopen anything before we are certain it is safe to do so."

Additional detailed inspections and repairs will be occurring this week, weather permitting. This includes milling off and replacing the top layer of the roadway on the southbound Route 8 bridge over Brandywine Creek.

Inspectors are still assessing the flyover ramp that carries northbound Route 8 to northbound I-271. An initial inspection did not find any significant structural damage.

Motorists should check OHGO.com and follow @ODOT_Akron on X for updated travel information.

Route 8 crash in Macedonia

The Route 8 and Interstate 271 interchange has been closed since Saturday morning a little after 9 a.m., when a tanker truck crashed on the northbound lanes of Route 8 and burst into flames. The truck was believed to have been carrying around 7,500 gallons of petroleum fuel.

The ramps from Route 8 north to I-271 north, from I-271 south to Route 8 south, as well as Route 8 southbound between Highland and Hines Hill roads have been closed since the crash.

Those motorists trying to access I-271 northbound from Route 8 northbound should take Route 82.

Family remembers truck driver who died in crash

The truck's driver, 31-year-old Jason Thomas Stevens of Ashtabula, was killed in the crash.

Stevens loved his job and had expected to be home before noon on Saturday when he reportedly lost control of his tanker truck and crashed onto state Route 8 in Macedonia and died.

He died of multiple blunt force injuries in the crash that resulted in a fire that has put the Interstate 271 and Route 8 interchange out of commission for several days.

The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office established the cause of his death after an autopsy and ruled it was accidental.

Stevens was driving for North Canton-based Kenan Advantage Group, Inc., where he had worked since October 2020, said his wife's aunt, Cindy Henderson of Conneaut. She said Stevens had expected Saturday to be a short work day.

"It was his normal route," she said. "He wasn't out of any ordinary area that he would normally travel. He was just doing his everyday job.

"He did the run and he would be back home, you know, with a quick day. It wasn't a long day. He told his wife he was going to be home by 11 a.m. He should be at home by 11 and, you know, 11 came and went."

Kenan Advantage Group issued a statement Tuesday, and expressed condolences to Stevens' friends, coworkers and family.

"Our primary concern has always been for the safety and security of our employees, the public, our customers, and the environment. This is an exceedingly difficult time for our organization as this tragedy impacts all of us in the KAG family," the company said.

"We have been working closely with local officials and corresponding agencies and will continue to do so in the days ahead. We would like to thank all the first responders for their immediate response to this incident."

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Henderson said Stevens had formerly worked two years as a semi truck driver at another company. He was married in 2018 and had a daughter.

Henderson said her niece, Katie Stevens, was too distraught to speak, but wanted everyone to know how much Jason loved her and their daughter, that he was very family oriented and that he loved people. The couple's daughter, Amelia, will be 2 in April.

"He was a happy guy," Henderson said. "He loved working ... Jason was so confident. He would get behind his truck and he was confident. He liked his job. He felt good behind the wheel."

April Helms, Anthony Thompson and Craig Webb contributed to this report. Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: One southbound lane from I-271 to Route 8 reopens in Macedonia