Interstate 670 (Ohio)

Interstate 670 (Ohio)
Public domain · source
State	OH
Route	670
Length mi	10.35
Established	1975
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Interstate 70 near Columbus
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Interstate 270 in Gahanna
Counties	Franklin County

Interstate 670 (Ohio) is an auxiliary Interstate spur serving central Columbus and its eastern suburbs. The route connects I‑70 near downtown Columbus to I‑270 in Gahanna, providing access to John Glenn Columbus International Airport, downtown, and campus areas. I‑670 functions as a crucial urban connector for commuters, freight, and regional traffic linking Franklin County corridors and suburban arterials.

Route description

I‑670 begins at an interchange with I‑70 near the Franklin County edge of downtown Columbus, passing under or near notable sites such as Ohio Statehouse, Columbus City Center, Nationwide Arena, and the Short North district. The freeway proceeds eastward as a multi‑lane limited‑access highway adjacent to Ohio State University, Arena District, and the Goodale Park vicinity before crossing the Olentangy River and skirting the John Glenn Columbus International Airport complex and Port Columbus International Airport facilities. Continuing east, I‑670 intersects major arterials including US 33, SR 315, and local connectors serving Bexley and Whitehall, then terminates at a junction with I‑270 near Gahanna and the airport transportation nodes. The corridor parallels rail lines used by Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation and passes near industrial sites that once served National City and Worthington Industries operations. The roadway includes urban interchanges with collector–distributor roads, retaining walls near Olentangy Trail crossings and several bridges listed in Ohio Department of Transportation inventories.

History

Plans for an east–west urban spur through Columbus date to the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 era when state planners coordinated with Ohio Department of Transportation and the Bureau of Public Roads on Metropolitan Beltway and downtown access routes. Early alignments considered corridors through neighborhoods adjacent to German Village, Franklinton, and Olde Towne East, provoking debate among preservationists from groups like Columbus Landmarks Foundation and civic leaders from Columbus City Council. Construction advanced in phases in the 1960s and 1970s with federal funds overseen by representatives from Ohio's 12th congressional district and state governors including John J. Gilligan and James A. Rhodes. Key segments opened in the 1970s, coinciding with redevelopment projects tied to Battelle Memorial Institute expansions and urban renewal initiatives championed by Mayor Tom Moody. Subsequent improvements in the 1990s and 2000s addressed rising traffic from Port Columbus International Airport expansion, commuter growth in Delaware County and Licking County, and economic development by corporations such as Cardinal Health and Huntington Bancshares. Major rehabilitation projects involved coordination with federal agencies including the Federal Highway Administration and local transit authorities like the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

Major intersections

The route's principal interchanges include connections with: - Western terminus: I‑70 — access to Dayton and Pittsburgh corridors. - Interchange with SR 315 near Arena District and Ohio State University. - Junction with US 33 providing access to Logan and Saint Marys directions. - Access to John Glenn Columbus International Airport and service roads to Port Columbus International Airport facilities. - Eastern terminus: I‑270 near Gahanna connecting to suburbs such as Reynoldsburg and New Albany. These interchanges coordinate with city arterials including Morse Road, Harrison Road, and Broad Street and link to freight routes used by Conrail successors.

Traffic and usage

I‑670 serves commuter flows between downtown and eastern suburbs like Gahanna, Whitehall, and Bexley, influencing travel patterns to employment centers including OhioHealth, Mount Carmel Health System, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and corporate campuses such as Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Peak hour congestion reflects commuter peaks tied to Columbus Metropolitan Area employment hubs and airport passenger surges linked to Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines operations at the airport. Freight traffic includes trucks serving distribution centers for companies like Amazon, Walmart, and UPS in the central Ohio logistics network. Traffic studies coordinated by Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and modeling by Ohio Department of Transportation use counts from permanent monitoring stations; Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) values historically show higher volumes near downtown interchanges and the SR 315 junction. Incident management involves cooperation with Ohio State Highway Patrol and local departments including Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

Future developments

Planned and proposed projects affecting the corridor involve interchange reconstructions, capacity upgrades, and multimodal integration advocated by Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and funded through state transportation plans submitted to the Federal Highway Administration. Proposals include improvements to airport access lanes tied to John Glenn Columbus International Airport modernization, ramp reconfigurations near SR 315 to enhance access to Ohio State University research zones, and noise‑mitigation measures in residential areas supported by neighborhood associations like Short North Civic Association. Transit‑oriented development initiatives by City of Columbus and partnerships with Central Ohio Transit Authority explore express bus lanes and park‑and‑ride facilities connecting to future rail or Bus Rapid Transit corridors. Environmental reviews involve agencies such as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency when addressing stormwater runoff and habitat impacts near the Olentangy River and adjacent greenways. Funding sources under consideration include state bonds approved by the Ohio General Assembly and federal competitive grants administered by the United States Department of Transportation.

Category:Interstate Highways in Ohio