Interstate 670 (Ohio)

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Interstate 670

Map
I-670 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-70
Maintained by ODOT
Length10.43 mi[1] (16.79 km)
Existed1975 (by FHWA), 1976 (by ODOT),, signed 1995, completed 2003–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-70 in Columbus
Major intersections I-71 in Columbus
East end I-270 / US 62 near Gahanna
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
CountiesFranklin
Highway system
  • Ohio State Highway System
SR 669 SR 670
View westbound at High Street

Interstate 670 (I-670) is an Interstate Highway in the US state of Ohio that passes through Columbus connecting I-70 west of Downtown Columbus with I-270 and U.S. Route 62 (US 62) near the eastern suburb of Gahanna. I-670 provides access to John Glenn Columbus International Airport and intersects State Route 315 (SR 315) and I-71 downtown. The section between SR 315 and I-71 is commonly referred to by locals as the "North Innerbelt";[2] the rest of the Innerbelt consists of SR 315 (west), I-70 (south), and I-71 (east and south).

History

In the late 1970s, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) was unable to complete the Spring–Sandusky streets interchange, linking both sections of the highway, due to budget shortfalls and environmental regulations, leaving I-670 the only uncompleted Interstate in Ohio. Two decades passed before work began on the last remaining section, bridging the gap between the two completed sections. Work on this section also included the High Street cap, a cut-and-cover bridge over the highway featuring shops and restaurants. I-670 was finally completed in 2003.[3]

In June 2018, a $60-million (equivalent to $71.7 million in 2023[4]) construction project began on an active traffic management system known as SmartLane.[5][6] The system, running between I-71 and I-270, repurposed a shoulder lane and installed digital overhead signs that would inform motorists when the lane would open and the current speed limit to help reduce congestion. In addition, the interchange with I-270 was reconfigured.[5] The management system opened to traffic in October 2019.[6]

Route description

West of I-71, I-670 passes around both sides of Fort Hayes with two two-way roadways. The south roadway carries the eastbound main lanes and the westbound entrance ramps from I-71 north and SR 3 (Cleveland Avenue), while the north roadway carries the westbound main lanes and the eastbound entrance from US 23 north (4th Street) and High Street.

Exit list

The entire route is in Franklin County.

Locationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Columbus0.000.00
I-70 west – Dayton
Western terminus; I-70 exit 96 eastbound
0.460.741A
US 33 west (Lower Scioto Greenway)
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
0.951.531BGrandview Avenue (CR 73)Signed as exit 1 eastbound
2.243.602A
US 33 (Dublin Road) / SR 315 south
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; connection to SR 315 ramps via traffic signals and (for NB-WB traffic) a short stretch of US 33
2.423.89
SR 315 south
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
2.433.912B
SR 315 north
3.145.053CR 578 (Neil Avenue) / Goodale StreetGoodale Street not signed eastbound, access to Huntington Park & Lower.com Field
3.52–
3.95
5.66–
6.36
4 US 23 (Third Street / Fourth Street) / High Street – Convention Center & Nationwide ArenaSigned as exits 4A (south) and 4B (north) eastbound, 4A (north) and 4B (south) westbound; High Street not signed eastbound
4.336.974C SR 3 (Cleveland Avenue) / Leonard Avenue (CR 23)Westbound exit is part of exit 5
4.58–
4.76
7.37–
7.66
5Spring Street – DowntownWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
I-71 – Cleveland, CincinnatiSigned as exits 5A (south) and 5B (north) eastbound; I-71 exit 109A southbound, 109A-B northbound.
6.4410.366Leonard Avenue (CR 23)
7.5612.177
US 62 west (5th Avenue)
West end of US 62 overlap
Mifflin Township8.50–
9.06
13.68–
14.58
9Stelzer Road (CR 177) / Johnstown Road (CR 377) / Cassady Avenue (CR 96) – AirportJohnstown Road not signed westbound; Cassady Road not signed eastbound
10.4316.7910 I-270 – Cleveland, Wheeling

US 62 east – Gahanna
Eastern terminus; east end of US 62 overlap; I-270 exit 35 northbound, 35A southbound; roadway continues as US 62
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Ohio Department of Transportation, [1], June 3, 2013
  2. ^ "Columbus Chamber of Commerce: Worst Spots for Traffic Jams in Columbus". columbus.org. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  3. ^ "Spring-Sandusky". www.roadfan.com. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  4. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  5. ^ a b "Work begins on Ohio's first SmartLane on I-670 in Columbus". Ohio Department of Transportation. June 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Roth, Claire (October 23, 2019). "ODOT Opens Ohio's First Smart Lane In Columbus". WOSU-FM. Retrieved October 24, 2019.