Photo Dump: Columbus 2013-06-04

[vtk]

On Tuesday I went out on a semi-spontaneous roadgeek excursion, with three targets: I-71/670, Alum Creek Dr / Groveport Rd, and I-270.  Since I didn't plan on taking roadgeek photos at the moment I left the house, I had only my camera phone.

	Spring St bridge over ramp from I-71 NB to I-670
	Ramp from Elijah Pierce Ave / Spring St to I-71 NB bridge over ramp from I-71 NB to I-670 WB
	Spring St bridge over ramp from I-71 NB to I-670
	Looking west across I-71 from just north of Spring St
	An old TV sitting by the dumpster behind a daycare center.
	Intersection of Spring St / Elijah Pierce Ave
	Ramp from I-71 NB to I-670, cut&cover tunnel under Elijah Pierce Ave just south of Spring St
	Elijah Pierce Ave just south of Spring St
	Ramp from Elijah Pierce Ave / Spring St to I-71 NB
	I-71, south view from Spring St
	I-71, south view from Spring St
	I-71, north view from Spring St
	I-71, south view from Spring St
	Lester Dr, south view from intersection with Spring St
	Ramp from I-71 SB to Lester Dr / Spring St
	I-71 SB bridge over ramp from I-670 EB to I-71 SB; temporary I-71 SB
	The remains of a small tree that was removed in preparation for construction of Lester Dr
	Lester Dr, north view from Long St
	Lester Dr, south view from Long St
	I-71 SB, including ramp to Broad St, south view from Long St

[vtk]

	I-71 SB, north view from Long St
	I-71, north view from Long St
	I-71, south view from Long St
	I-71 NB, ramp from I-71 NB to I-670 (going into tunnel), north view from Long St
	Ramp from I-71 NB to I-670 going into tunnel under Elijah Pierce Ave, north view from Long St
	Ramp from I-71 NB to I-670, south view from Long St
	Future Elijah Pierce Ave, south view from intersection at Long St
	Elijah Pierce Ave, north view from intersection at Long St

	[Old] Groveport Rd WB signage approaching western roundabout with new Groveport Rd.  I wonder where the temporary patch pieces came from...
	[Old] Groveport Rd EB just east of western roundabout
	Western roundabout between old and new Groveport Rd, view from east
	Overhead guide sign on new Groveport Rd WB approaching western roundabout
	[Old] Groveport Rd / Alum Creek Dr intersection, view from west
	Overhead guide sign on new Groveport Rd WB approaching western roundabout
	Overhead guide sign on new Groveport Rd EB approaching eastern roundabout; Alum Creek Dr in foreground
	[New] Groveport Rd bridge over Alum Creek Dr
	[New] Groveport Rd bridge over Alum Creek Dr
	Incomplete support structure for [old] Groveport Rd EB signage approaching eastern roundabout
	Eastern roundabout
	Eastern roundabout

It's about this time I noticed that there apparently won't be sidewalks alongside the new Groveport Rd between the roundabouts.  Really, FCEO – you didn't think sidewalks would be a good idea on a bridge across a major road like Alum Creek Dr?

[KEVIN_224]

Is this anywhere near the airport (CMH) on the city's east side? I remember entrance ramps for a highway close to the hotel I stayed at in 2010 by Airport Drive and North Cassady Avenue.

P.S. What was with that old RCA tube TV? 

[vtk]

Is this anywhere near the airport (CMH) on the city's east side? I remember entrance ramps for a highway close to the hotel I stayed at in 2010 by Airport Drive and North Cassady Avenue.

P.S. What was with that old RCA tube TV? 

Your hotel was just off the west end of International Gateway (the main entrance road to CMH) and its interchange with I-670.  International Gateway has undergone extensive improvements since 2010, by the way.  These photos (the first 28 of them, anyway) are a few miles southwest of that, at the I-71 / I-670 interchange downtown.

Regarding the TV, I'm going to assume the daycare center was using it until it recently stopped working.

[vtk]

	Overhead guide signs on [new] Groveport Rd EB approaching eastern roundabout
	Groveport Rd bridge over Alum Creek Dr
	Groveport Rd bridge over Alum Creek Dr
	A nice meadow (start of panorama, shot right to left)
	A nice meadow
	A nice meadow
	A nice meadow; overhead guide signage on [new] Groveport Rd EB approaching eastern roundabout (end of panorama)
	Overhead guide signage on [new] Groveport Rd EB approaching eastern roundabout
	[New] Groveport Rd western bridge approach
	Alum Creek Dr NB right-turn lane to Groveport Rd; bus stop
	Alum Creek Dr / Groveport Rd intersection, view from SE corner

	Guide sign for ramp from Alum Creek Dr NB to I-270 WB. Leftmost panel of new retroreflective background has fallen off, revealing original non-reflective background.  In person, faint hints of old foreground elements may be visible, including a smaller I-270 shield.
	The next few dozen photos are all along I-270 WB and then I-270 NB on the south and then west sides of Columbus.
	The I-270 shield has fallen off.
	Original, narrow bridge over a small stream or dirt road just east of Scioto River
	New, wide bridge over Scioto River, completed last year

[vtk]

	Original, narrow bridge over a small stream or dirt road just west of Scioto River
	I think that's 10" D(M) for some reason on a 36" shield.
	Badly faded I-270 shield, on a sign with background panels falling off
	Accidentally hit shutter button too early...
	...so phone wasn't ready to take another shot until too late to get the whole gantry.
	Approaching construction zone
	Crappy supplemental guide sign
	New SB bridges over Alkire Rd and Demorest Rd include not only 2 lanes each SB and NB I-270, but also a construction access lane

[vtk]

	Georgesville Rd bridge over I-270.  This is the SW "corner" of I-270, where the signed direction changes.
	Sign describing the lanes split ahead. Contrary to indications, traffic looking for I-70 must use the rightmost lane, but that's not until about a mile after the mainline of I-270 splits.
	The casino panel was added just days after the main sign.
	Looking across the barriers at the NB contraflow lane and the SB lanes
	Oh yeah, and the ramp to I-70 WB is closed this week.  The official detour adds about 9 miles, by going up to Cemetery Rd and backtracking south again; by going east on I-70 and then reversing at Wilson Rd, one would only add about 3 miles.

[vtk]

	I-70 EB guide signage just after bridge over I-270
	Those loop ramps are closed for reconstruction, but the pavement hasn't been torn up yet
	Brand-new guide sign
	I think these guide signs date to the 80s, if not older.  Originally (until about the 80s) there was a lane drop at Fishinger / Cemetery, explaining the super-advance guide sign and pull-thru with only two arrows here.
	ODOT is converting this Roberts Rd interchange to a DDI.  I think they intend to have it done this year.  Although the ability to re-use existing bridges is an advantage of a DDI, ODOT is going to tear out and replace the bridges anyway, turning the Roberts Rd interchange into a giant RIRO in the interim.

This concludes the photo dump.

[NE2]

hehehehehe dump

[seicer]

The I-270 rebuild replaced rapidly failing concrete that was not that old, and it looks like they are using the longitudinally tined concrete, which should be quieter and provide the same benefit.

[amroad17]

Is there any area of Columbus that does not have any road work going on?

[vtk]

You saw the meadow, right?

[amroad17]

Good one!

[vtk]

But to answer your question seriously, it looks like Upper Arlington, Gahanna, and Canal Winchester are mostly free of road work. http://bit.ly/PTWGBWEB [PDF]