Interstate 270 (Ohio)

Interstate 270 marker

Interstate 270
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length: 54.97 mi[1] (88.47 km)
History: Late 1950s–present; completed in 1975
Major junctions
Beltway around Columbus, Ohio
 

I71 north
I70 west
US 23
SR 161
US 33
SR 315
I71 south
I670

I70 east
Highway system
SR 269I271

Interstate 270 (abbreviated I-270) is the beltway loop freeway in the Columbus metropolitan area, commonly known locally as "The Outerbelt," or the "Jack Nicklaus Freeway." The "western" (and "eastern") terminus of I-270, at least in terms of the zero-milepost, is at the junction with I-71 east of Grove City, Ohio. I-270, along with I-670, provides access to Port Columbus International Airport. The entire length of I-270 is 54.97 miles (88.47 km). It is one of four interstate loops not to share with another interstate freeway, the others being I-295, I-485, and I-610.

History

I-270 at exit 33

Planning

Planning for an outerbelt around Columbus began in the late 1950s. By the early 1960s detailed planning for the route had begun, and several controversies arose. The first involved the location of the northern segment, which was originally planned to pass south of Worthington, passing through the Ohio School for the Deaf and just north of the then ten-year-old Graceland Shopping Center. Through vigorous lobbying throughout 1961, and with the help of Ohio Governor Michael DiSalle, residents were able to get the outerbelt relocated to pass north of Worthington.[2]

Another contentious issue involved the routing of the eastern portion of the outerbelt between Port Columbus International Airport and the city of Gahanna. While the airport wanted the outerbelt pushed out towards Gahanna so as to leave land for future runway expansion, the residents of Gahanna wanted it pushed back towards Columbus. The final compromise led to an interesting kink in I-270 as it jogs around the airport.[3]

Construction

Northwest of I-270; Exit 15: Tuttle Crossing Blvd

Construction of the outerbelt began in 1962, and work was begun on various disconnected sections. The first portion to be completed connected US Route 23 (US 23) with I-71 south of Columbus.[4] The portion between US 23 and I-71 on the north side opened in August 1967.[5]

The section between I-70 on the West Side and I-71 on the south side opened in August 1970.[6] In late 1970, sections opened on the east side between US 33 and I-70, and between State Route 3 (SR 3) in Westerville and SR 161 on the east side. It was now possible to bypass Columbus using I-270 by going around the south side of the city.[7]

In June 1971, the section between Morse Road and SR 161 on the east side opened. In October 1971, another section on the east side between I-70 and East Main Street opened. It would take four more years to complete the northeast portion of the outerbelt.[8]

The last section of I-270, on the east side, between Hamilton Road and East Broad Street, was opened on August 20, 1975.[9] The total cost of the 10-year construction project was $175 million, compared to the original 1961 estimate of $104 million.

Accidents and incidents

Southwest of I-270

Expansion and noise barriers

In 1978, the first noise barriers were constructed on the portion of I-270 passing near Gahanna. Noise barriers have been slowly added around the length of the 55-mile (89 km) long belt as development has crowded up to the noisy road.[13]

Massive development followed the construction of I-270, especially around the north and northwest sides. The northern suburbs of Westerville, Worthington and Dublin, and Hilliard to the west benefited the most. As in other sizeable cities across America, the effect of this outerbelt driven development was to hasten the decline of the Columbus core. The south portion of I-270 was much slower to develop due to the location of sewage treatment and landfill facilities, as well as quarries and the flood prone Scioto River. Grove City began to develop in the 1990s with the addition of office/warehouse space, and the conversion of Rickenbacker Air Force Base to a civilian air freight facility.

Exit list

The entire route is in Franklin County.

Locationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Grove City0.00–
54.97
0.00–
88.47
55 I71 Columbus, CincinnatiSigned as exits 55A (north) & 55B (south); I-71 south exit 101, north exit 101A-B.
Urbancrest2.133.432 US 62 / SR 3 Grove City
Columbus4.978.005Georgesville RoadCardinal direction change: westbound becomes northbound & southbound becomes eastbound
6.91–
7.04
11.12–
11.33
7 US 40 (Broad Street)Signed as exits 7A (west) and 7B (east) southbound
8.69–
8.71
13.99–
14.02
8 I70 Columbus, DaytonI-70 west exit 93, east exits 93A-B.
10.5016.9010Roberts Roaddiverging diamond interchange [14]
Hilliard12.63–
12.64
20.33–
20.34
13Fishinger Road Upper Arlington
Cemetery Road Hilliard, Franklin County Fairgrounds
Signed as exits 13A (Fishinger Road) and 13B (Cemetery Road) northbound
13.822.214Davidson RoadProposed
Columbus15.6325.1515Tuttle Crossing Blvd
Dublin17.29–
17.31
27.83–
27.86
17 US 33 / SR 161 Dublin, Muirfield, Marysville, Plain CitySigned as exits 17A (east, north) and 17B (west, south); Cardinal direction change: northbound becomes eastbound & westbound becomes southbound
Columbus19.8231.9020Sawmill Road Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Zoombezi Bay, Muirfield (WB)First SPUI in Ohio
Worthington22.7836.6622 SR 315Signed as exits 22A (south) and 22B (north)
23.7838.2723 US 23 Worthington, Delaware, ToledoSigned as exits 23A (south) and 23B (north)
Columbus25.8341.5726 I71 Columbus, ClevelandSigned as exits 26A (south) & 26B (north) eastbound; I-71 north exit 119, south exits 119A-B.
27.3844.0628 SR 710 west (Cleveland Avenue)Signed as exits 28A (south) and 28B (north/west); Eastern terminus of SR 710
Westerville28.7146.2029 SR 3 WestervilleCardinal direction change: Eastbound becomes southbound & northbound becomes westbound; SR 3 known as State Street north of I-270 and Westerville Road south of I-270
Columbus30.5349.1330 SR 161 Worthington, New AlbanySigned as exits 30A (south) and 30B (north); shares C-D roads with exit 33
32.2751.9332Morse RoadNo connection to exits 30 or 33
32.9252.9833Easton Way EastonShares C-D roads with exit 30
Gahanna35.16–
35.51
56.58–
57.15
35 I670 west / US 62 west Airport
US 62 east Gahanna
Johnstown Road
Signed as exits 35A (I-670/US 62 west), 35B (US 62 east) and 35C (Johnstown Road) southbound; Only access to Johnstown Road is northbound exit
37.3660.1337 SR 317 (Hamilton Road)
Columbus39.5363.6239 SR 16 (Broad Street) / Taylor Station Road WhitehallSigned as exits 39A (west) and 39B (east); Only access to Taylor Station Road is northbound exit (via Old Morrison Road and Westbourne Avenue)
41.3266.5041 US 40 (Main St) Whitehall, ReynoldsburgSigned as exits 41A (west) and 41B (east); shares C-D roads with exit 43
42.8268.9143 I70 Columbus, WheelingSigned as exits 43A (west) & 43B (east); shares C-D roads with exit 41; I-70 east exit 108, west exits 108A-B.
46.1374.2446 US 33 Bexley, LancasterSigned as exits 46A (west) and 46B (east)
Obetz48.9878.8349Alum Creek Drive Obetz, Rickenbacker Int'l AirportCardinal direction change: Southbound becomes westbound & eastbound becomes northbound
Columbus52.7284.8452 US 23 / South High Street Columbus, CirclevilleSigned as exits 52A (north) and 52B (south) westbound; Access to Scioto Downs (SB)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

List of unused highways in Ohio

References

Route map: Bing / Google

  1. 1 2 District 6 staff (January 2006). "ODOT Straight Line Diagram, Franklin IR 270" (PDF). Ohio Department of Transportation. pp. 1–11. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
  2. "Meeting Decries 'Near' Outerbelt". Columbus Dispatch. February 9, 1961. p. 1A.
  3. "Ohio Dept of Highways Completes Work on a Proposed New Alignment through Gahanna for the Outerbelt Expressway which Would Permit Future Expansion for Port Columbus". Columbus Dispatch. March 30, 1967. p. 1B.
  4. "Ohio Highway Department Reports on the Status of 6 Columbus Expressway Projects: Outerbelt, Ft Hayes Interchange, East Freeway, Parsons and Fulton Expressways". Columbus Dispatch. June 16, 1963. p. 14A.
  5. "The Outerbelt Expressway (I-270) Between the North Freeway and N High St Is Opened at Ceremonies Led by the Worthington Chamber of Commerce". Columbus Dispatch. August 15, 1967. p. 1B.
  6. "8.5 Mile Stretch of Outerbelt, I-270, Between I-70 West and South Freeway, Will Open 8/17". Columbus Dispatch. August 13, 1970. p. 1B.
  7. "A Missing Link in the Cols Outerbelt Opens to Traffic Nov 20, Allowing East–West Traffic to Pass Cols; the 3.2 Mile Link Between Rt 33 and I-70 Beats a Thanksgiving Deadline". Columbus Dispatch. November 19, 1970. p. 1A.
  8. "The Opening of E Main St (Rt 40) over the Outerbelt Is Scheduled for 6/21, and Work on E Main St–NOE–Bixby Rd Intersection May Also Be Completed by that Date". Columbus Dispatch. June 13, 1971. p. 19A.
  9. "Outerbelt Finish Set for Aug. 20". Columbus Dispatch. July 9, 1975. p. 1C.
  10. "Dana B. Bolin, 49, of Athens, Ohio, Is Killed and about 30 People Are Injured in the Crash of New York Central's Ohio State Limited Passenger Train in Worthington". Columbus Dispatch. December 19, 1965. p. 1A.
  11. "David R. Booth, 29, 1066 Corwin Ave, Dies when his Car Collides with Another just North of I-270 Exit onto Rt 23, South of Columbus". Columbus Dispatch. November 4, 1968. p. 1B.
  12. "Three Trucks Traveling in Convoy on the Columbus Outerbelt near US 33 Are Struck by Gunfire as Violence Continues in the Strike by Independent Truckers". Columbus Dispatch. February 4, 1974. p. 1A.
  13. "Noise from the Outerbelt Are Erected in Gahanna; City Threatened To Sue Ohio Dept of Transportation if Barriers Were Not Erected". Columbus Dispatch. June 1, 1978. p. 10B.
  14. "I-270/Roberts Road Interchange Improvement Project". Ohio Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
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