COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Wednesday the start of construction on the next phase of the project to improve Interstates 70 and 71 through downtown Columbus.
The next phase will create new access ramps at Fulton and Mound streets to improve the access to and from downtown at the I-70/71 and State Route 315 interchange.
“This section of highway is one of the busiest and most vital routes for freight operators and commuters in the region, and central Ohio has long outgrown it,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “This project modernizes an outdated interchange and tackles the biggest congestion and safety problems on the road to benefit Ohioans for generations to come."
This $280 million project represents the largest transportation investment on a single construction project in central Ohio.
“Three years ago, this project was in jeopardy of being canceled, but it is thanks to Governor DeWine’s leadership that we’re here announcing the start of this important work to update the downtown corridor,” said ODOT Director Dr. Jack Marchbanks.
The interstate was originally built in the late 1950s when the population of the city was half of what it is today.
Bridges along the corridor also date back to the ʼ50s and ʼ60s, including the 60-year-old Front Street bridge over I-70 that will be replaced with this project.
The state has invested $700 million into the overall project, with another $250 million of committed funding for future phases that will provide two continuous lanes of I-70 and I-71 in each direction.
Currently, this section averages nearly 900 crashes per year and ranks among the highest crash locations in the state.
“In the coming years, there will be a lot of change in this downtown corridor, and it will require drivers to adapt,” said ODOT Interim District 6 Deputy Director Anthony Turowski. “If you can endure the inconvenience on the front end, your return on investment in the long run will be worth it when it comes to safer and more efficient travel through the capital city.”
The current phases of construction through downtown are expected to continue through 2026. To learn more about the project, click here.
