AARoads Forum

Regional Boards => Great Lakes and Ohio Valley => Topic started by: vtk on February 20, 2013, 06:30:23 PM

Title: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: vtk on February 20, 2013, 06:30:23 PM
Last year's District 6 project list included 2 widening projects for I-71: from US 36 / OH 37 to OH 61, and from OH 95 to the Morrow/Richland county line.  They were scheduled to start at the same time.  The latter project visibly began in the summer and is now half done; the former only started drainage work this winter.

This year's project list includes another widening project from OH 61 to OH 95, beginning in June I think.  On completion of these 3 projects, I-71 will be a continuous 6 lanes from Columbus to Mansfield.  Some Channel 10 reporting I happened to catch today claimed it would make 6-laning complete all the way to Cleveland, which is counter to what I thought I knew.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: exit10 on February 20, 2013, 11:08:31 PM
Considering that the Cleveland-to-Columbus widening project started in 1999, I think it's about time. Now, to get to that six-mile stretch of the Turnpike outside Akron ...
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: Hot Rod Hootenanny on February 21, 2013, 12:06:38 AM
If ODOT hadn't started pleading poverty, at the height of the "Great Recession," then this would have been completed several years ago.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=796.0 (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=796.0)
As it was, ODOT's plan was to work their way south from Cleveland to Columbus (with the exception of the Southern Delaware County section [I-270 to US 36]) with the Morrow County and Northern Delaware County section to be the last part widened.

Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: Buck87 on December 26, 2013, 12:41:46 PM
Here's where the project stands going into 2014:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D06/news/Pages/Safer-Travel-on-I-71-South-from-Cleveland-to-Columbus.aspx

Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: vtk on December 26, 2013, 03:56:11 PM
Quote from: Buck87 on December 26, 2013, 12:41:46 PM
Here's where the project stands going into 2014:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D06/news/Pages/Safer-Travel-on-I-71-South-from-Cleveland-to-Columbus.aspx

It doesn't say when it will be complete. It could all be finished by the end of '14 if they continue the pace from this year.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: Bitmapped on December 28, 2013, 12:01:38 PM
I drove I-71 northbound from outside Cincinnati to the Cleveland suburbs yesterday.  On the northbound side in the area being widened, things varied from some initial drainage work to awaiting top coat of asphalt and striping.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: Buck87 on November 16, 2014, 10:56:57 PM
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D06/news/Pages/Two-Complete,-One-More-to-Go-on-Interstate-71-Widening.aspx

According to this release from October, 71 is expected to have 3 lanes open between Cleveland and Columbus by Thanksgiving, with only the section between 61 and 95 left to go.

Also interesting that it mentions 9 miles of 71 south of Grove City will be widened starting next year.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: ysuindy on November 17, 2014, 03:49:23 PM
I will be interested in any reports on how Thanksgiving weekend travel flows between Columbus and Cleveland.  I have been caught in massive backups on Wednesday evening, Thursday morning and Sunday afternoon on this stretch over the years.  Once US 30 upgrade was completed,my Indy to Youngstown travel became 69-469-30 to NE Ohio.

This year's travel requires that I go via South Bend on my way to Youngstown, so I will be US 31- Toll Road - Turnpike.  I will be back on this stretch before Christmas and am glad to know its wrapping up.  I moved to Indy in early 1997 and third lane construction has been a constant for just about the entire time I've been here.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: busman_49 on December 01, 2014, 12:40:59 PM
I just drove the strecth from Columbus to US 30 this past week and everything is open.  It looks like ODOT still has to put down a final top coat of pavement down in the areas they just finished, but I think this is the first time in a long time that I don't have any complaints about traffic being held up.  We drove north on Friday during the day and there was little traffic on the road.  We came back through on Sunday evening around 4 PM and while traffic was heavier than when we initially came through, it was still a smooth ride.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: vtk on December 01, 2014, 02:38:43 PM
Yeah it was Tuesday or Wednesday when they got it open.  Indeed, a final course of asphalt will be laid down on both sides between OH 61 and OH 95 next spring.  Also maybe southbound between OH 61 and mile 133 (just north of US 36) – I can't remember if they finished that in the fall or not.
Title: Re: I-71 widening north of Columbus
Post by: Buck87 on December 21, 2014, 11:27:33 PM
Quote from: vtk on December 01, 2014, 02:38:43 PM
Also maybe southbound between OH 61 and mile 133 (just north of US 36) — I can't remember if they finished that in the fall or not.

Nope, just the 95 to 61 portion. I was on 71 south today from Mansfield to I-270, and the part still needing the final course stopped a little bit north the OH 61 exit.

It's great to finally see six lanes of 71 open between Cleveland and Columbus. Now I wonder how long it will take to be able to say the same thing about 75 from Dayton to Toledo.