I-70 and I-71 Corridor
Columbus
Crossroads - I-70, I-71, I-670, SR-315 Downtown Corridors
The I-70 and I-71 corridor in Downtown Columbus is one of
the busiest and most vital sections of highway in the region. It serves
approximately 150,000 vehicles and 17,000 trucks per day, yet accounts for 27%
of all accidents on I-70 and I-71 in Franklin County. The corridor improvement
will reduce the number of entrance/exit ramps from nineteen to thirteen on this
1.5-mile stretch of highway, while introducing new collector-distributer urban
avenues into and out of the Downtown area.
The finished project will help reconnect neighborhoods to Downtown, promote
economic development opportunities along the corridor and within surrounding
neighborhoods, and provide a safer transportation environment for pedestrians,
bicyclists, and motorists.
Initial project concepts, phases, and schedules were derived
between 2006 and 2010. Alternatives for
the collector-distributer urban avenues were ultimately determined in 2010,
with design of multiple phases initiated soon afterwards.
Phase 1 was completed in 2014, which includes the I-670 and I-71
North Interchange, improvements to Cleveland Avenue, Jack Gibbs Boulevard, Leonard
Avenue, and St. Clair Avenue, new urban avenues Lester Drive and Elijah Pierce
Avenue, as well as the Spring Street and Long Street bridge crossings, cap, and
cultural wall.
Phase 2, which is focused on the I-70 and I-71 East Interchange,
has been divided up into multiple phases, which started construction in 2013.
Phase 2A, also known as the
Africentric School retaining wall, was completed in 2013. This constructed a
new retaining wall on the south side of I-70 west of Grant Street.
Phase 2B, which provided necessary
storm-water outlet facilities for the Columbus Crossroads project area,
installing new storm sewers along Fulton Street between Short Street and Front
Street, was completed in 2017.
Phase 2C, also known as the Mound
Street connector, was completed in 2016. This constructed a new bridge from
westbound I-70 to Mound Street, along with improvements to Mound Street from
Fourth Street to Washington Avenue. It
also completed construction of the 18th Street bridge over I-70.
Phases 2D (the I-70 and I-71 east interchange)
while currently under design, is not expected to begin construction until beyond
2026, per ODOT’s schedule. This project
includes improvements to the Main Street bridge.
Phase 2E was completed in 2022. This project constructed a new Fulton Street
bridge to eastbound I-70, closed the existing Third Street entrance ramp to eastbound
I-70, made improvements and converts Fulton Street to eastbound from High
Street to Fourth Street, made improvements to Parsons Avenue at Mooberry Street,
and made improvements to Mooberry Street between Parsons Avenue and 18th Street
Phase 2G was completed in 2019, which
reconstructed the Grant Street bridge over I-70, made improvements and converted
Mound Street to westbound between High Street and Fourth Street, and made
improvements and converted Fulton Street to eastbound between Fourth Street and
Washington Boulevard.
Phase 3, which is primarily the I-71 East freeway and urban
avenues, is currently divided into two separate phases.
Phase 3, while currently under
design, is not scheduled to start construction until beyond 2026, per ODOT’s
schedule. The project limits are I-71
between Main Street and Broad Street, and will include work on Lester Drive,
Elijah Pierce and Parsons Avenue, along with the Town Street and Oak Street
bridges.
Phase 3B started construction in 2020
and will be completed in 2022, which includes work on I-71 between Broad Street
and Long Street, the Broad Street bridge over I-71, and Lester Drive and Elijah
Pierce Boulevard between Broad Street and Long Street.
Phase 4, which is primarily the I-70 South freeway and bridge
crossings, is currently under design, and is divided into multiple phases,
including:
Phase 4A includes work on the
existing eastbound lanes and bridges along the south innerbelt at Short St, Front
St, and High St. Work is scheduled to
start in 2023.
Phase 4B, currently in design, is
scheduled to start construction in 2023, per
ODOT’s schedule. The project reconstructs the High Street, Third
Street and Fourth Street bridges over I-70.
Phase 4R, started construction in
2022, with a planned construction completion in 2025. The project constructs a new ramp and bridge
from eastbound I-70 to Fulton Street, reconstructs the Front Street bridge over
I-70, makes improvements to Livingston Avenue between Front Street and High
Street including conversion to two-way traffic, makes improvements to Fulton
Street between Front Street and High Street including conversion to one-way
eastbound, makes improvements to Mound Street between Front Street and High
Street including conversion to one-way westbound, and improvements to Front
Street between Livingston Avenue and Mound Street including conversion to
two-way traffic.
Phase 5, is primarily the rehabilitation of I-70 between 18th
Street and Fairwood Avenue including the Ohio, Champion, Linwood, Miller, and
Kelton bridges. This project is not
scheduled to start construction until 2035 per ODOT’s current schedule.
Phase 6, which is focused on the I-70, I-71, and SR-315 West
interchange, has been divided up into multiple phases.
Phase 6A includes work on the
existing westbound lanes and bridges along the south innerbelt at Short St, Front
St, and High St, along with work on Short Street between Fulton Street and
Mound Street. Work is scheduled to start
in 2023.
Phase 6R, started construction in
2022, with a planned construction completion in 2025. The project constructs a new ramp and bridge
from Mound Street onto westbound I-70, makes improvements to Mound Street
between Short Street and Front Street, and makes improvements to Short Street
between Fulton Street and Mound Street.
Phases 6B, 6C, and 6D include
improvements to the west interchange, including roadways, ramps, and bridges
north on SR-315 to Broad Street, west on I-70 to Central Avenue, and south on
I-71 to Greenlawn Avenue. These projects are not scheduled to start
construction until 2035 per ODOT’s current schedule.
Long Street, Parsons Avenue and Livingston Avenue, which
have direct connections to the urban avenues or segments of the I-70 / I-71
corridor, are city funded improvements to complete connections between ODOT’s
improvements and City adjacent neighborhoods.
Long
Street – completed in 2013.
Parsons Avenue – completed in 2019.
Livingston Avenue Phase A – to be
constructed with ODOT Phase 4R project, with construction starting in 2022 and
completed in 2025.
Livingston
Avenue Phase B – currently under design, with construction scheduled for 2026.
Livingston
Avenue Phase C – completed in 2021.
Federal, state, and local dollars are being pulled together
for design, right-of-way acquisition, utility undergrounding, construction, and
construction management. Funding is
subject to future allocations through the Ohio Department of Transportation's
Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) and Columbus City Council.
All Combined Funding Sources: $1.4 billion
City of
Columbus Funding:
- Previously Funded:$51.0 million
- Future Requested: $47.0 million
Total: $98.0 million
CONTACT
INFORMATION:
City of
Columbus Project Manager: Doug Roberts, P.E., (614) 645-3973
ODOT Project
Manager: Steve
Fellenger, P.E., (740) 833-8272
Updated: February
2022