What the major road construction projects are this summer in Franklin County
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As road construction season gets under way in Ohio, many major projects are beginning or continuing in Franklin County.
Here are the most significant road construction projects taking place in the county, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.
I-70/I-71 Downtown Ramp Up
A series of projects to reconstruct interstates 70 and 71 Downtown began in the summer of 2010 and carries a total estimated cost of $1.4 billion. ODOT will be working on two phases this year.
One of those phases began in February and is expected to end in July 2030 at a cost of $340 million. It'll involve reconstructing certain roadways and replacing and reconstructing some bridges.
Traffic impacts are expected to include overnight lane and ramp closures with traffic shifts, and the closure of the State Route 315 southbound ramp to I-70 eastbound for more than a year.
The other phase began in February 2022 and is expected to be completed in August 2025. The $279 million project will construct ramps, reconstruct certain streets, convert Front Street to two-way-traffic and replace and widen certain bridges.
Traffic impacts include overnight lane and ramp closures, the permanent closure of ramps from I-70 East to Front Street and to Livingston Avenue, and the closure of the Front Street bridge for two years.
State Route 161 widening
An $80 million project will widen State Route 161 in the New Albany area. It began in July 2023 and will end in August 2025.
The project includes widening State Route 161 from I-270 to U.S. 62 and the ramp from State Route 161 west to I-270 north on the Northeast side. Traffic impacts include traffic shifts with various temporary lane and ramp closures.
Far East Freeway improvements
Two projects improving the "Far East Freeway: I-70/I-270/Brice Road eastbound interchange" worth tens of millions of dollars each are continuing or beginning this year.
One leg of the project, which began in July 2022 and will end in June 2025, costs $77 million. It will upgrade the interchange of I-70/I-270 and Brice Road along I-70 East, including a flyover ramp from I-270 South to I-70 East to replace a loop ramp. The project will also reconfigure certain ramps and add an eastbound ramp lane on I-70 between I-270 and Brice Road.
Traffic impacts include temporary lane and ramp closures and overnight directional closures of I-270 and I-70 for bridge work.
The other leg of the project, beginning this month and set to end in September 2026, will cost $60.5 million. It will upgrade the interchange of I-70 and I-270 and Brice Road along I-70 westbound, reconstruct the I-70 West ramp to I-270 North, and add westbound ramp lanes on I-70 from Brice Road to I-270. It will also widen the Brice Road bridge over I-70 and south of I-70 to Tussing Road.
I-270/U.S. 23 South Side interchange
A $31.8 million project will reconfigure the I-270/U.S. 23 interchange on the South Side. It will improve the U.S. 23 and Rathmell Road intersection by adding turn lanes and upgrading the traffic signal.
Traffic impacts include temporary lane and ramp closures, with some traffic being detoured to a temporary ramp operated by traffic signals. The project began in June 2023 and is scheduled to end in June 2025.
Other projects
- I-270 resurfacing ($25.6 million)
- State Route 315 bridge improvements ($11 million)
- Franklin County bridge rehabilitation ($10.6 million)
- State Route 161 noise walls ($8 million)
- I-670 bridge rehabilitation ($7 million)
- East Broad Street/Hamilton Road intersection improvements ($6 million)
- U.S. 40 improvements ($5.2 million)
- Gantz Road and McComb Road bridge rehabilitation ($4.2 million)
- I-70 bridge work ($2.6 million)
- Courtright Road bridge improvements ($2.5 million)
- I-70 resurfacing ($1.6 million)
- I-70 culvert replacement ($600,000)
- U.S. 40 paving ($480,000)
- State Route 161/Olentangy River Road intersection improvements ($210,000)