Ohio

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Earlier in September, MORPC released their list of the top 100 "high crash" intersections from 2015-2017.
Top 10 for just Franklin Co - https://www.10tv.com/article/morpc-releases-top-100-high-crash-intersections-central-ohio
MORPC's map showing the locations of their top 100 - https://apps.morpc.org/safety/

[paulthemapguy]

I noticed this route marker for OH-177 along OH-73 the other day, with a larger font used for the numbers.  I'll show another photo below to show the font size usually used on Ohio state route markers.  Do people prefer this larger font size?  Do you think it would be better?  Why doesn't ODOT use larger numbers like this as a general rule?


OH-073-177E by Paul Drives, on Flickr


OH-130-US27ER by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[westerninterloper]

I live in Toledo, and it seems like this summer, a very significant number of state and US routes in the area were repaved. Someone mentioned that Toledo has seen more road construction in the last three years than in the past thirty. 

Nearly all of the downtown routes, part of the Anthony Wayne Trail (SR 25); Central Avenue (US 20/Ohio 120). Within the last year or so, work was also completed on parts of Detroit Avenue; I-75 and 475 on the northside; I75 between Perrysburg and to around Findlay.

Does anyone know if this paving wave is part of the Ohio Turnpike bond, and whether other areas along the turnpike are seeing this kind of investment?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

According to Spectrum Cable, ODOT has extended I-670 east to Mt. Vernon or Coshocton (or wherever it can meet US 36).


Or maybe there is a I-670 in Denver I wasn't aware of.

[Great Lakes Roads]

ODOT is FINALLY widening the last remaining stretch of four lanes on I-70 between Columbus and Dayton to six lanes... it looks like they are going to be rebuilding the bridges along that stretch... I thought that it was weird for me to go from six to four lanes and back to six lanes in about five miles, and I knew that ODOT would do it in a couple years...

Here's a video update taken by someone back in Nov 2018...
https://youtu.be/kTIYqP7cQj0

Once this construction project is finished, it will be six lanes between Dayton and Columbus!!

[tdindy88]

After that there should be a at least six lanes of freeway connecting Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland. And including the Ohio Turnpike there will be six lanes connecting from Cleveland west to Toledo and east to near Youngstown.

[seicer]

It's eight lanes between I-275 in Cincinnati and just south of I-675 in Dayton; six-lanes between Columbus and Cleveland; and four- and six-lanes between I-275 in Cincinnati and I-270 in Columbus. There was a long-term plan of widening I-71 to six-lanes between Cincinnati and Columbus, but other than the small segment in the center by US 35, and the recent widening just south of I-270, there are no active programmed planning or construction projects. Traffic just hasn't increased to the point where it's necessary.

[Buck87]

ODOT is FINALLY widening the last remaining stretch of four lanes on I-70 between Columbus and Dayton to six lanes... it looks like they are going to be rebuilding the bridges along that stretch... I thought that it was weird for me to go from six to four lanes and back to six lanes in about five miles, and I knew that ODOT would do it in a couple years...

Nice! I'm not that familiar with that part of I-70, so when I saw this relatively short distance project on the TRAC list last year I assumed it was just adding a little more capacity between 2 busy interchanges or something. I didn't realize until now that this 3.5 mile segment was the only gap left in 6 laning the entire Dayton-Columbus section.

[6a]

ODOT is FINALLY widening the last remaining stretch of four lanes on I-70 between Columbus and Dayton to six lanes... it looks like they are going to be rebuilding the bridges along that stretch... I thought that it was weird for me to go from six to four lanes and back to six lanes in about five miles, and I knew that ODOT would do it in a couple years...

Nice! I'm not that familiar with that part of I-70, so when I saw this relatively short distance project on the TRAC list last year I assumed it was just adding a little more capacity between 2 busy interchanges or something. I didn't realize until now that this 3.5 mile segment was the only gap left in 6 laning the entire Dayton-Columbus section.

I believe the bridge over 68 was the only reason that particular part hasn't been widened. At any rate, it'll be a welcome relief.

[Truvelo]

I've been going to Springfield annually since 2006 and have noticed an increase in the amount of six lanes each time I go. Unfortunately it will almost certainly mean the death of the remaining button copy BGS's.

I have a question about the US 68 bridges. At present they each provide three lanes and a shoulder because of the weaving section. How is the widening here going to be achieved? I assume the existing bridges will be rebuilt to each take four lanes and a shoulder and retaining the weaving section as I've never experienced major weaving issues here. However I would consider a different approach. Keep the existing bridges as they are and build new bridges alongside them as part of C/D roads. This would move the weaving section from the main I-70 lanes and would be a better long term prospect should turning movements at this junction increase in the future.

[Bitmapped]

I've been going to Springfield annually since 2006 and have noticed an increase in the amount of six lanes each time I go. Unfortunately it will almost certainly mean the death of the remaining button copy BGS's.

I have a question about the US 68 bridges. At present they each provide three lanes and a shoulder because of the weaving section. How is the widening here going to be achieved? I assume the existing bridges will be rebuilt to each take four lanes and a shoulder and retaining the weaving section as I've never experienced major weaving issues here. However I would consider a different approach. Keep the existing bridges as they are and build new bridges alongside them as part of C/D roads. This would move the weaving section from the main I-70 lanes and would be a better long term prospect should turning movements at this junction increase in the future.

My guess is ODOT will just widen the existing bridges in the median. Reconfiguring the interchange would normally be done as part of its own separate project. Just building C-D lanes here would be problematic since it would reduce the radius of the loop ramps.

[Buck87]

The new I-90/OH 2 bridges from OH 57 west to the 90/2 split are now done and open. Now they're working on the flyover bridge at the split itself.



VS988

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Don't get your hopes up too high...
https://www.delgazette.com/news/74471/studying-u-s-23-corridor

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

ODOT all of sudden looks like PennDOT, when it comes to funding.
https://www.10tv.com/article/gov-dewine-announce-proposed-gas-tax-increase
(bottom half of article has nothing to do with roads & funding)

[Buck87]

And in other news on this corridor, there hasn't been any progress on adding exit numbers to OH 2 in over a year. The exit numbering, (which also includes median mile markers every 0.2 miles) still stops at OH 61, with only the westbound set of BGS for that exit having exit number tabs. The rest of the exits in Erie County around Huron and Sandusky remain unnumbered, however, once you cross into Ottawa County (which is also crossing into a different ODOT district) there are exit numbers in place for remainder of the freeway, although without median mile markers.

Update on OH 2 exit numbers in Erie County:

US 250 is now exit 138 and OH 4 is now exit 134.

There are new numbered exit signs at the gores, and what I think are just new exit tabs added to the existings big green signs. There are currently no median mile markers. Those were the only 2 exits I saw today, so I'm not sure if the rest of the previously unnumbered exits in Erie County have been updated as well, but I'd be surprised if the ones around Huron haven't, since the progress on this has moved east to west in the past.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Ohio is getting rid of front license plates and passed an 11.5 cent gas tax increase:

https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/more-front-license-plate-ohio-lawmakers-reach-deal-drop-requirement/2IEbegbFrI7XwKgpL4CS8L/


https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/02/ohio-lawmakers-vote-gas-tax-hike/3312585002/

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

ODOT needs to recheck all their bridge clearances.
https://www.10tv.com/article/us-33-reopened-watkins-road-bridge-remains-closed-indefinitely-southeast-columbus-2019-apr

[webny99]

I'm curious about the history of the Breezewood of sorts that exists at I-71 and US 35 in Ohio.
I didn't realize how glaring it was until I went through there last Friday, I know it's not an interstate > interstate junction but still a pretty annoying non-connection.

[PurdueBill]

I'm curious about the history of the Breezewood of sorts that exists at I-71 and US 35 in Ohio.
I didn't realize how glaring it was until I went through there last Friday, I know it's not an interstate > interstate junction but still a pretty annoying non-connection.

The expressway-grade US 35 is a much more recent construction.  The outlet mall and other services at the existing exit were in the way and it was easier to make a tie-in to the existing road on either side.

A fun thing is the sign for "Old 35" on the west side which you can giggle at if you remember an old Godfather's Pizza ad (the one with a family reunion where an old fella gives directions involving a convoluted route; it involves "Old 35"; "No way; Old 35's bridge went out with the tornado of '83!")

[skluth]

I'm curious about the history of the Breezewood of sorts that exists at I-71 and US 35 in Ohio.
I didn't realize how glaring it was until I went through there last Friday, I know it's not an interstate > interstate junction but still a pretty annoying non-connection.

A similar disconnect happens at US 30/I-75 north of Lima. Maybe it's Ohio's version of the disconnects at Breezewood and Bedford.

[lepidopteran]

A similar disconnect happens at US 30/I-75 north of Lima. Maybe it's Ohio's version of the disconnects at Breezewood and Bedford.

That one is there because of a railroad that closely parallels I-75 between Beaverdam and Lima, rendering a freeway-to-freeway interchange cost-prohibitive.  Note also that US-30 is not full freeway; it's kind of a mixture of overpasses and at-grade intersections in that region.  The NB->EB movement might be doable at that point, but would the traffic count justify direct connections for any of them?

[marleythedog]

One for the odd use of guide signs file: The I-75 exit for Bellefontaine St, Wapakoneta has been re-signed "First on the Moon, Wapakoneta"


Source: https://www.sidneydailynews.com/news/143379

I can't find any information on where the change originated (statehouse, local, etc.), or whether the street has been officially been renamed "First on the Moon." The guide signs on the ramps have been changed to:

First on the Moon
<-- Bellefontaine St
<-- Wapakoneta

In keeping with ODOT's post-Clearview BGSs, the sign seems a bit cramped.

[PurdueBill]

The prior sign was not Clearview but did have the previous layout exit tab (slightly smaller) and the arrow in the green field so the EXIT ONLY field was not as tall, so the layout did change, but they may have wanted to keep the panel the same size so it crowded the edges a little.  It does seem to crowd the edges more than the previous sign.

[frankenroad]

One for the odd use of guide signs file: The I-75 exit for Bellefontaine St, Wapakoneta has been re-signed "First on the Moon, Wapakoneta"


Source: https://www.sidneydailynews.com/news/143379

I can't find any information on where the change originated (statehouse, local, etc.), or whether the street has been officially been renamed "First on the Moon." The guide signs on the ramps have been changed to:

First on the Moon
<-- Bellefontaine St
<-- Wapakoneta

In keeping with ODOT's post-Clearview BGSs, the sign seems a bit cramped.

I drove through there last weekend, and was surprised to see this.  I thought the law required any text on a primary BGS to be a street/road name or an incorporated municipality.   

This may be temporary as I know Wapakoneta has a lot of 50th anniversary events planned for this summer.

[Bitmapped]

I've done some traveling through southern and central/SW Ohio over the past month and noticed that ODOT has started adding additional signal heads mounted on the near-side right pole at a number of intersections (such as on US 23 through Lucasville and US 52 around South Point). At first I thought it was maybe just a District 9 thing but I also saw it around District 8 territory. Is this something new statewide?