Ohio: I-70 – 71 Downtown Ramp Up

Ramping Up for Safer Roads and Less Traffic  

Challenge: Downtown Columbus Ohio is encircled by highways that were built in a bygone era. Some of the heaviest congestion and highest crash rates in the state are on I-70 and I-71 which is one of the busiest and most vital sections of highway in the region, serving 150,000 vehicles and 17,000 trucks per day and accounting for 27 percent of all accidents on I-70 and I-71 in Franklin County. 

Solution: With help from the federal infrastructure investment law, the Ohio Department of Transporation is making headway on a two-decade old mega-project called the I-70/I-71 Downtown Ramp Up. The current phase involves constructing new ramps, widening, replacing and rehabilitating bridges, and rebuilding city streets that feed into the highway. For the people of Columbus, safer, less congested roads are just ahead.  

What they’re saying: “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. This project modernizes an outdated interchange and tackles the biggest congestion and safety problems on the road to benefit Ohioans for generations to come.” – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (FM 96.3 WVLG, 3/18/2022)  

Photo Credit: Ohio Department of Transportation