Interstate 490 Ohio
Overview
Interstate 490 in Ohio connects I-90 (Northwest Freeway) and I-71 (Medina Freeway) with I-77 (Willow Freeway) between the Tremont and North Broadway neighborhoods in central Cleveland. The urban freeway represents a short portion of the original Clark Freeway proposed east from the Innerbelt (I-90) to the Outer Belt East Freeway (I-271) at Beachwood and Pepper Pike.
The Innerbelt Project along Interstate 90 included work to rebuild the I-71 overpasses at the four level interchange with I-490 and several changes to ramps at the north end I-77 at Downtown. Ramps from I-90 east to I-77 south and from I-77 north to I-90 west closed by April 11, 2011, with Interstate 490 designated as the new connection for those movements.1
History
HistoryThe I-490 connector was first envisioned as part of an urban loop taking Interstate 80S from the Parma Freeway (planned I-90) east along the Clark Freeway to the Bedford Freeway across central Cleveland. I-290 was proposed to extend the Clark Freeway east from the Bedford Freeway at the Kinsman neighborhood to the Outer Belt East Freeway at Beachwood, where it would overlap with I-271 north to I-90 in Lake County. Increasing community opposition throughout the 1960s led to several freeway cancellations, including all of the Clark Freeway east from North Broadway.
The planned route of Interstate 290 on the 1969 Ohio Official State Map (Cleveland inset):
Cleveland – 1971 Official Ohio Highway Map
The redesignation of Interstate 290 to I-490 was approved by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on November 10, 1973. The change redefined the eastern terminus from I-271 and Shaker Heights to Interstate 480 at Maple Heights. The southeastern route to Maple Heights (Bedford Freeway) from E 55th Street was never built, with the exception of the trumpet interchange and access road between I-480 and Broadway Avenue at Exit 23.
Route Information
East End – Cleveland
West End – Cleveland
Mileage – 2.43
Cities – Cleveland
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
Interstate 290 would have continued due east from the I-90 northward turn at I-71 to Shaker Heights and Beachwood.
The earliest proposal for what would later become part of I-490 incorporated a portion of the Interstate 80N loop north from Ravanna to Cleveland and west along I-90 to the Ohio Turnpike. The southeasterly jog of I-80N to Maple Heights was later incorporated into a proposed reroute of I-490 to Maple Heights before the route was dropped all together east of 55th Street.
Opportunity Corridor
Starting in Fall 2000, the Cleveland Innerbelt study conducted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) included two alternatives involving new construction between Interstate 490 and the University Circle neighborhood in northeast Cleveland. One concept extended the freeway along railroad right of way northeast to Interstate 90 at E 133rd Street and the Forest Hills neighborhood. The second alternative outlined an at-grade boulevard between I-490 and E 105th Street along the same railroad corridor.
The freeway plan included interchanges at E 55th Street, Kinsman Road, Woodland Avenue, Stokes Boulevard, Euclid Avenue, Superior Avenue, St. Clair Avenue and E 133rd Street. The alternative was estimated to cost $1.5 billion and displace 165 residences. Community opposition from East Side neighborhoods ranged from activists, residents, Council President Frank Jackson and Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell.
The boulevard concept would range from four to six lanes separated by a median with signalized intersections. Only 25 residences would be displaced. Costs were estimated at $160 million, with ten years of construction potentially starting by 2007.2 The boulevard was rebranded and incorporated into the Opportunity Corridor Study conducted in 2004 by a consultant team. The Opportunity Corridor Steering Committee was subsequently formed comprising ODOT, the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and several other groups, residents and business owners. The committee identified a Recommended Preferred Alternative in July 2011.3
Eventually incorporated in the Opportunity Corridor Project, a $331 million public-private partnership with the goal of redeveloping more than 300 acres of underutilized land and brown fields, the envisioned road would comprise a divided 35 mile per hour boulevard with traffic lights with pedestrian and bicycle paths. Project details were presented at an October 2013 Public Hearing. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the corridor and issued a Record of Decision on May 1, 2014.3
The Opportunity Corridor extends east three miles from E 55th Street to University Circle and E 105th Street. Construction was divided into three sections:
- Section 1 – Upgrades to E 105th Street from Quebec Avenue to north of U.S. 322 (Chester Avenue). Construction started in Winter 2015 and finished in Fall 2017.
- Section 2 – New roadway from E 93rd Street to Quebec Avenue. Construction started in Spring 2016 and was completed in Fall 2018.
- Section 3 – New roadway from Interstate 490 and E 55th Street to E 93rd Street. Estimated to begin in 2017, construction eventually commenced in Fall 2018. Major work concluded in November 2021.4
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Opportunity Corridor took place on November 3, 2021. The boulevard opened to traffic on November 12, 2021. Landscaping and work on final punch list items continued to June 2022.5
 Photo Guides
 Photo GuidesEast End 
/ 55th Street – Cleveland, Ohio
East at 
A loop ramp connects W 7th Street and the Tremont neighborhood with I=490 east, one mile ahead of Interstate 77. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
End Interstate 490 overhead posted along the bridge spanning the Cuyahoga River and adjacent industrial areas. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
A half diamond interchange (Exit 2A) joins I-490 east with SR 14 (Broadway Avenue) along the west side of Interstate 77. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
The four eastbound lanes of Interstate 490 partition with two lanes leading to I-77 and two continuing to the freeway end at 55th Street. I-77 curves northwest to conclude at I-90 east outside Downtown. The freeway south travels to Independence and Akron. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
Beyond the ramps for Interstate 77, the remaining lanes of I-490 connect to E 55th Street at the North Broadway community. 09/30/10
E 55th Street heads north from the freeway end to U.S. 422/SR 8 (Woodland Avenue west / Kinsman Road east) and SR 87 (Woodland Avenue east) at the Central neighborhood in east Cleveland. 09/30/10
North at
Interstate 77 northbound enters the Cleveland city limits from Newburgh Heights, 1.25 miles south of Exit 161B for I-490 west and E 55th Street. 09/30/10
Paralleling E 49th Street, I-77 advances north from the North Broadway neighborhood 0.75 miles to Interstate 490. 09/30/10
Preceding I-490 succeeding half diamond interchanges join I-77 north with Pershing Avenue (Exit 160) and SR 14 (Exit 161A). Sign changes made by 2011 reference the permanent closure of westbound ramp to I-90 from I-77 north at Downtown Cleveland. I-490 west provides that movement now. 09/30/10
Lowering to pass under SR 14 (Broadway Avenue), a lane drop occurs along Interstate 77 north at the four level interchange (Exit 161B) with I-490 west and the freeway spur to 55th Street. 09/30/10
Exit 161B leaves I-77 north for I-490 west to Tremont, I-90 west to Ohio City and I-71 southwest to Brooklyn. The freeway end at 55th Street links with industrial areas south of U.S. 422 at Central and North Broadway. 09/30/10
South at
I-77 initially travels east alongside U.S. 422 and Woodland Avenue before curving south along a viaduct leading to the four level interchange (Exit 161 B) with Interstate 490. 06/14/10
Exit 161 B connects I-77 south with I-490 west to I-71 south and I-90 west and nearby E 55th Street at North Broadway. 06/14/10
The east end of I-490 transitions into the Opportunity Corridor (SR 10) to the Fairfax and Kinsman neighborhoods. 06/14/10
Exit 161 B parts ways with Interstate 77 south at the viaduct end above Iron Court. 06/14/10
West at
Leaving E 55th Street, I-490 quickly splits with the unnumbered ramps for I-77 (Willow Freeway) north to Downtown Cleveland and south toward Akron. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
East End Throwback
North at
This overhead assembly at the Fleet Avenue overpass in South Broadway, Cleveland was replaced by 2007, then moved to a new sign bridge with a variable message board by 2010. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
All remaining button copy signs for Interstate 490 on I-77 were replaced by 2007. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
Forthcoming Interstate 490 west spans the Cuyahoga River to link I-77 with I-71 and I-90. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
Exit 161B departed from I-77 north at the SR 14 (Broadway Avenue) overpass. Toledo was the control city, referencing the connection with I-90 west to the Ohio Turnpike (I-80). 02/25/02
Interstate 77 narrows to four overall lanes as it spans I-490 and all associated ramps. 02/25/02
South at
Button copy guide signs for Interstate 490 on I-77 south were eventually replaced in kind. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).
West End – Cleveland, Ohio
West at 
Ramps from I-77 (Willow Freeway) and Broadway Avenue (old U.S. 21) merge onto Interstate 490 at the Cuyahoga River bridge. The freeway proceeds west to Tremont and I-71 south (Exit 1A) and I-90 west. 09/30/10
Back to back lane drops occur at Exit 1A for the flyover joining the west end of I-490 with I-71 south. Interstate 71 splits with SR 176 (Jennings Freeway) nearby. 09/30/10
Interstate 71 extends south from the Innerbelt Freeway (I-90) to run west to Riverside in Cleveland, Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and the suburb of Brook Park. 09/30/10
Interstate 490 west defaults onto I-90 (Northwest Freeway) west to Cudell, Jefferson and Kamms Corners in west Cleveland. 09/30/10
The flyover carrying motorists from I-490 west to I-71 south forms a distributor roadway connecting with the Medina Freeway mainline leading to Brooklyn Center and the Jennings Freeway (SR 176) south to I-480. 09/30/10
North at
Interstate 71 (Medina Freeway) leads east though the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood in Cleveland to a collector distributor roadway (Exit 247B) for I-90 and I-490. Photo by Eric Stuve (07/02/17).
U.S. 42/SR 3 span I-71 at the Clark-Fulton neighborhood as Interstate 71 curves northeast to merge with the north end of SR 176 (Jennings Freeway). Two lanes continue onto I-90 (Innerbelt Freeway) east while a c/d roadway departs for I-90/490 and Exit 247A to W 14th Street. Photo by Eric Stuve (07/02/17).
Including the c/d roadways, five roadways run through the Tremont neighborhood between MetroHealth Medical Center and the Steelyard Commons retail center. The northbound lanes of I-71 partition with the c/d roadway for I-90/490 along the viaduct as Exit 247A departs to Clark Avenue and Steelyard Drive. Photo by Eric Stuve (09/26/15).
East at
The first sign for Interstate 490 (Exit 170C) appears along I-90 (Northwest Freeway) east at Exit 169 to W 41st and W 44th Streets in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. 09/30/10
W 41st Street crosses over the four eastbound lanes of I-90 as the Northwest Freeway enters the Ohio City Near West Side neighborhood. The left two lanes default onto Interstate 490 east in 0.9 miles. 09/30/10
U.S. 42 leads north to Superior Avenue east to Public Square in Downtown. Interstate 90 also reaches Downtown via the Innerbelt Freeway, which extends north from the Medina Freeway (I-71). Traffic headed to Interstate 77 south from I-90 east must use I-490 as the north end of I-77 is no longer accessible from the Innerbelt east. 09/30/10
Interstate 90 utilizes a two lane flyover to turn north onto the Innerbelt Freeway to Downtown Cleveland as I-490 begins with three eastbound lanes. 09/30/10
Interstate 490 extends east from the Northwest Freeway through Tremont to I-77 and the Opportunity Corridor to Kinsman and University Circle. 09/30/10
West End Throwback
West at
Crossing Industrial Valley and the Cuyahoga River, Interstate 490 passed under this set of button copy signs for I-71 and I-90. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).
Sign changes made for Exit 1A added panels for SR 176, reflecting the 1998-completed Jennings Freeway. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).
Interstate 490 travels below the Medina Freeway and the three flyovers joining I-71 and I-90. Milepost zero stands ahead at the gore point bringing I-90 west from the Innerbelt Freeway. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).
East at
Button copy signs formerly posted for Interstate 490 east and U.S. 42 at Exit 169. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).
Spacing allotted for a I-490 control city was eliminated with replacements made along I-90 east by 2010. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).
 North at
SR 176 (Jennings Freeway) winds north from Interstate 480 through the Old Brooklyn neighborhood in Cleveland to Big Creek. The freeway connects with I- 90 and I-490 in two miles Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
North of Big Creek, SR 176 travels through the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood to the merge with Interstate 71 ahead of I-90/490. Departing here is the off-ramp for Denison Avenue to Harvard Avenue and the village of Newburgh Heights. Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
SR 176 (Jennings Freeway) forms a double deck freeway with I-71 north to the collector distributor roadway for I-90 west and I-490 east. Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
Traveling below I-71, the next exit from SR 176 departs for a roundabout joining W 14th Street with Quigly Road. 14th Street south connects the Jennings Freeway with Interstate 71 (Medina Freeway) south at Clark-Fulton. Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
North beyond 14th Street, SR 176 emerges from the double deck freeway to split into single lane ramps for the ending I-71 to I-90 (Innerbelt Freeway) east and a slip ramp for the c/d roadway to I-90 (Northwest Freeway) west and I-490 east. Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
An end sign for SR 176 appears at the separation of traffic for I-90 east to Downtown and the c/d roadway for I-90 west to Lorain and I-490 east to I-77 and the North Broadway community. Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
Sources:
- “Two Interstate 77/90 Ramps to Close Permanently as Part of Innerbelt Work.” Ohio Department of Transportation, news release. April 5, 2011.
- “Connecting I-490 to University Circle – An Examination of the Economic and Community Development Impacts of ODOT’s East Side Alternatives on affected City Neighborhoods and University Circle.”
https://www.dot.state.oh.us/projects/ClevelandUrbanCoreProjects/OpportunityCorridor/Documents/OCI490ConnectorStudy.pdfOhio Department of Transportation, February 2002. - Opportunity Corridor – Project Overview. Ohio Department of Transportation project web site. Accessed April 13, 2016.
- “Opportunity Corridor Phase 3 Construction.”
https://www.gcpartnership.com/en/News/GCP-News/ January-2019/Opportunity-Corridor-Phase-3-ConstructionGreater Cleveland Partnership, news release. January 11, 2019. - “Cleveland Opportunity Corridor Open.” Ohio Department of Transportation, February 3, 2022.
Page updated July 1, 2022.