COLUMBUS, Ohio — Driving east from downtown Columbus will be easier after this weekend.
The new ramp from Fulton Street to Interstate 70 eastbound will officially open by 5 a.m. Monday, July 19.
The opening comes as more people head back to work and are in need of increased accessibility after the ramp from 3rd St.to I-70 eastbound closed back in 2019.
Drivers will be able to access this new Fulton St. ramp by taking 4th St. or Grant Ave. over to eastbound Fulton St.
By the end of July, Fulton St. between High St. and 4th St., which is currently only open to westbound traffic, will switch directions to become eastbound-only in order to streamline access to I-70 from downtown.
The new ramp is part of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Downtown Ramp-Up project, reconstructing the I-70/I-71 East Side Split.
When the project is finished, the changes will have eliminated over 70 percent of lane changes in the area, according to ODOT spokesperson, Breanna Badanes.
The full project, which will include better freeway crossings with bicyclist accommodations and more pedestrian-friendly bridge replacements, is expected to last through the year 2026.
For more information, please go to the ODOT website.
