Day 4 focuses on Interstate 76 west, the Columbus Beltway, and completing Interstate 71 in Kentucky among other roads.

Interstate 80 west at Ohio 711.

Ohio 711 was completed on October 24, 2005 after three years of construction. The 3.35-mile state route links Interstate 80 and Ohio 11 with Interstate 680. For years ramp stubs sat unused at Interstate 80 and Ohio 711 existed as a short spur from Interstate 680 (Exit 3A) to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

Ohio 711 travels a viaduct from U.S. 422 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard) westward over the Mahoning River to junction Interstate 680.

An original button copy diagrammatic sign for Exits 4B/A, west of downtown Youngstown, was replaced with a new overhead assembly.

The number of Interstate 680 originated from the Ohio Turnpike as Interstate 80N. A wye interchange provides only westbound access to the urban loop from Interstate 76 at the south end.

Approaching the Turnpike bump of Interstates 80 and 76. New diagrammatic overheads were installed on the westbound approach.

Westbound Interstate 76 at the partial-cloverleaf interchange with Martha Avenue (Exit 25).

Ohio 241 was shifted from its Massillion Road alignment to Seiberling Street north and Martha Avenue west to end at Ohio 18 (Market Street) adjacent to Exit 25 in 2009.

U.S. 224 upgrades to Interstate 277 west at Exits 4B/A with Interstate 77 in Akron.

Interstate 277 travels 4.14 miles west to Interstate 76 and was completed by 1970.

Interstate 76 concludes at a recently reconfigured interchange with Interstate 71. U.S. 224 continues west to Lodi.

A $70.4-million project wrapped up on August 4, 2010 to widen Interstate 71 to six lanes surrounding Interstate 76 and concurrently modify the interchange connections. What was originally a trumpet interchange to trumpet interchange connection was expanded to include two new ramps and two modified ramps. Westbound Interstate 76 gained a new ramp to Interstate 71 north (Exit 1B) in the process.

Heading west on the outer loop of Interstate 270 at Exit 22 with Ohio 315 in north Columbus.

A major resurfacing project commences west of this junction and southward to Exit 17. Project studies at Ohio 315 involve a potential upgrade of the interchange to include two new directional ramps (the two Ohio 315 ramps to Interstate 270).

Interstate 680 and Ohio 315 interact in an odd series of ramps due to the confluence of the Olentangy and Scioto Rivers nearby.

Much of the final portion of Interstate 670 westward to Interstate 70 parallels the Scioto and the urban loop was the last to be completed in Ohio, opening fully in 2003.

Approaching the Park and Goodale Street cut and cover tunnel on Interstate 670 east near Exits 4A/B (U.S. 23).

Interstate 670 yields several ramps ahead with Interstate 71 and U.S. 40. Additionally the freeway splits into separate roadways for the eastbound and westbound mainline between North 4th Street and Interstate 71.

Trying to remain along the Interstate 670 eastbound mainline through the junction with Interstate 71 is tedious. Only one through lane is providing and weaving traffic concerns with the departure of Exit 5B and the merge of the northbound Interstate 71 on-ramp.

ITS mileposts for Interstate 670 continue beyond Interstate 270 along the U.S. 62 freeway spur to Styger Road at Gahanna.

Though not signed as such, the Exit 30 collector/distributor roadway along side the freeway mainline provides a local/express configuration for Interstate 270 northbound from Interstate 670 to the Sunbury Road under pass south of Ohio 161.

Traveling the short overlap of Interstate 70 west & 71 south through downtown Columbus.

ODOT’s I-70 I_71 South Innerbelt Corridor Study addresses congestion and design elements with the urban freeway.

The only known Interstate 70 Ohio shield still posted.

72 miles north of Interstate 275 is this mileage sign posted along Interstate 71 south.

Traveling through the trenched section of Interstate 75 south through the city of Lockland.

The two carriageways of the freeway separate between Exit 13 and Ohio 126 (Exit 10). Commuter congestion results from the Exit 13 c/d roadway merge, the on-ramp from Ohio 126 east, and the on-ramp from Ohio 4.

Traffic slows to a crawl due to the left-hand merge of Interstate 71 south onto Interstate 75 at the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River.

A joint study between ODOT and KYTC remains underway to address congestion and capacity issues with the overwhelmed Brent Spence Bridge. Potential construction is still years away however.

Classically shaped U.S. 50 trailblazer posted along Freeman Street south ahead of West 8th Street. Freeman Street sees ramps to both U.S. 50 west and east at West 6th Street to the south.

Interstate 71 and 75 southbound split.

Interstate 71 was widened between 2006-07 from 3.2 miles north of Exit 57 through to the Kentucky 35 interchange.

Expansion of the Exit 57 off-ramp from Interstate 71 south occurred in 2004. These improvements were completed to improve access to the Kentucky Speedway nearby.

Approaching the interchange with Interstate 265 south and Kentucky 841 (Gene Snyder Freeway) along Interstate 71 south. This sign advises motorists that the Gene Snyder Freeway does not continue west to Indiana.

Eventually it will become a part of seamless Interstate 265 with Indiana’s section. Known as the East End Bridge, the new Ohio River crossing will carry six lanes. The construction time table remains uncertain. More information is available at The Ohio River Bridges Project of Kentucky and Indiana.

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