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 2025, per ODOT's schedule. This project includes improvements to the Main Street bridge.
Phase 2E started construction in 2019, with a planned construction completion in 2021. This project constructs a new Fulton Street bridge to eastbound I-70, closes the existing Third Street entrance ramp to eastbound I-70, makes improvements and converts Fulton Street to eastbound from Third Street to Fourth Street, makes improvements to Parsons Avenue at Mooberry Street, and makes 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 2025, 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 is scheduled to start construction in 2020 and be completed in 2021, which will include 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 south innerbelt at Front St and High St.
Phase 4B, while currently in design, is not scheduled to start construction until 2023, per ODOT's schedule. The project reconstructs the High Street, Third Street and Fourth Street bridges over I-70.
Phase 4R, is scheduled to start construction in 2020, with a planned construction completion in 2023. 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 south innerbelt at Front St and High St.
Phase 6R, is scheduled to start construction in 2021, with a planned construction completion in 2024. 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 2020.
Livingston Avenue Phase B - currently under design, with construction scheduled for 2022.
Livingston Avenue Phase C - currently in construction, to be completed in 2020.
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: $1.35 billion
City of Columbus Funding:
- Previously Funded: $46.7 million 51.4%
- Future Requested: $46.0 million 49.6%
Total $92.7 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: March 2020