BUFFALO, N.Y. — Drivers, pack your patience. 

Starting April 23 and lasting all summer, the Skyway will be closed for the first phase of a $29 million repair project expected to take until June 2020 to complete.

There's a public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 18 at the Gateway Building, 3556 Lakeshore Boulevard, to provide more information on the project and detailed road closure and detour maps. 

Here's what you need to know — and where you need to avoid — to get around this summer. 

Work Zone Traffic Control Plan: Stage 1

The Skyway will be closed in both directions from 3 a.m. until 5 a.m. and again between 11 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday for the duration of the repair work. 

Monday through Friday morning, inbound traffic will use two lanes on the opposite side of the Skyway: 

  • Inbound traffic heading to the I-190 will exit at Church Street and take the ramp to the I-190 in both directions from the Church Street entrance ramps
  • Inbound traffic to Seneca Street will be detoured via Church Street onto Pearl Street and then across to Seneca Street

Outbound traffic will use the I-190 southbound lanes: 

  • Enter via the Church Street ramp and exit at Louisiana Street, then proceed across Louisiana Street to Ohio Street to Furhmann Boulevard to pick up westbound Route 5 via Tifft Street
  • Southbound traffic will continue onto the I-190 southbound and use the Louisiana Street exit, then proceed to Ohio Street to Furhmann Boulevard onto westbound Route 5 via Tifft Street

Monday through Thursday from noon until 3 a.m. the following day, and Friday at noon through Monday at 3 a.m.: 

Inbound traffic will be diverted: 

  • To the city: Ohio Street across to Louisiana Street to South Park Avenue, then to Hamburg Street to the I-190 northbound ramp to Church Street
  • Southbound: Ohio Street to Louisiana Street to the I-190 southbound ramp 
  • Northbound: Ohio Street to Louisiana Street, across to South Park Avenue to Hamburg Street and the I-190 northbound ramp
  • Outer Harbor: Follow the detour from Ohio Street to Church Street 

Outbound traffic: no changes as the I-190 southbound ramp will remain open. 

Skyway construction routes