The I-71 and I- 670 Exchange Columbus

[roadman65]

I couldn't help notice that from Google satellite images that the aforementioned interchange is beyond complex.

I'm aware that Fort Hays made the interchange more problematic than two freeways intersecting normally is, but there are ramps over ramps with several of them braided, especially on I-71.

That simple connection between the two interstates seems so overated.  In fact I think it's the most messy interchange around.  At least from all the complex ones I have driven through.

[74/171FAN]

Yeah, when I clinched I-670 in both directions I made myself do it in both directions between OH 315 and US 62 because of how far off the alignments are.

[Bitmapped]

There are a couple factors in play here:

First, the part of I-670 that is west of I-71 was built in the early 1960s. The part east of there didn't come until 30 years later, so they were largely tacking things onto what was already there.

Second, At the time the western section was built, there was a major railyard where the "northern" leg of I-670 now sits. It was largely abandoned by the time the eastern section of I-670 came along, so that land was available for reuse.

Finally, as originally configured, I-71 followed what is now I-670 and SR 315 through the downtown area, so the ramps seem to have been built to favor high-speed movements to/from I-71 north.

[TempoNick]

I couldn't help notice that from Google satellite images that the aforementioned interchange is beyond complex.

I'm aware that Fort Hays made the interchange more problematic than two freeways intersecting normally is, but there are ramps over ramps with several of them braided, especially on I-71.

That simple connection between the two interstates seems so overated.  In fact I think it's the most messy interchange around.  At least from all the complex ones I have driven through.

Ironically, that highway was working the way it should have when they were building that flyover ramp. they popped a hole in that divider and were running traffic through there like they would in a typical highway.

That goofy section is a holdover from the original "innerbelt" that was constructed in the 1950's. I always thought it was an issue of them "having" to use it because it was already in place. Maybe not, but that really is a goofy design.

Go on Google Earth and dig up an old satellite, say about 1985, if you want to see what it looked like.

[chesapeake256]

I couldn't help notice that from Google satellite images that the aforementioned interchange is beyond complex.

I'm aware that Fort Hays made the interchange more problematic than two freeways intersecting normally is, but there are ramps over ramps with several of them braided, especially on I-71.

That simple connection between the two interstates seems so overated.  In fact I think it's the most messy interchange around.  At least from all the complex ones I have driven through.

Ironically, that highway was working the way it should have when they were building that flyover ramp. they popped a hole in that divider and were running traffic through there like they would in a typical highway.

That goofy section is a holdover from the original "innerbelt" that was constructed in the 1950's. I always thought it was an issue of them "having" to use it because it was already in place. Maybe not, but that really is a goofy design.

Go on Google Earth and dig up an old satellite, say about 1985, if you want to see what it looked like.

To expand upon the previously stated mention of Fort Hayes (which I missed on my initial read): the two sections of I-670 surrounded what up until 2009 was an active U.S. military and National Guard installation, Fort Hayes (previously known as the Columbus Arsenal). My understanding is that this was the reason for the original jog south, and when the railyard on the north side of Fort Hayes was mothballed, the Airport Expressway was built on a new connecting alignment on that site so as to get a straighter alignment into the 4th Street-3rd Street pairing and prevent the need for demolition of part of King-Lincoln or a move of the federal arsenal to make room for new ramps.

Additionally, I believe that the Airport Expressway was not initially planned as an interstate but as a state highway, and was intended to replace the cancelled 17th Avenue Expressway (which to my knowledge is the only freeway ever cancelled in Columbus).