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The cycle of sprawl and highway construction is causing me to hate the northern Columbus area with a passion.  Maybe the 161/270 interchange rebuild truly is necessary (I don't have much experience with it), but it sure seems to be a direct result of all the crap being built in that area.  I'm happy that my tax money can make life more convenient in New Albany. :roll:

The cycle of sprawl and highway construction is causing me to hate the northern Columbus area with a passion.  Maybe the 161/270 interchange rebuild truly is necessary (I don't have much experience with it), but it sure seems to be a direct result of all the crap being built in that area.  I'm happy that my tax money can make life more convenient in New Albany. :roll:

 

Those  people living in New Albany probably pay a lot more taxes than you do.  Plus they pay for crap like Columbus's bus system used predominantly by poor people in the city, which depends heavily on subsidies (probably tens of thousands of $ a year per regular rider) to get by.  Is that fair?  Rich suburbs like New Albany are paying most of the tax dollars that get funneled to welfare programs, and subsidies for crappy urban school districts.  Is that fair?  :whip:

 

I haven't been to New Albany, but I live outside Dublin, and I will say that the pattern of development in Columbus's suburbs is vastly superior to development within the city limits of Columbus itself.  95% of Columbus is just miles of flat straight roads that meet at right angles at 1 mile intervals, and have ugly strip malls and bland houses/apartment complexes behind them.  Ever been to Dublin before?  They have built one of the finest communities I have seen in Ohio, or for that matter anywhere in the U.S.  The roads are actually curved in Dublin, and they have roundabouts in some places.  That breaks up the monotony.  Also, there are few strip malls in Dublin.  It is very nice.  I hear New Albany is the same way, with carefully planned, interesting development.

The cycle of sprawl and highway construction is causing me to hate the northern Columbus area with a passion. Maybe the 161/270 interchange rebuild truly is necessary (I don't have much experience with it), but it sure seems to be a direct result of all the crap being built in that area. I'm happy that my tax money can make life more convenient in New Albany. :roll:

 

Those people living in New Albany probably pay a lot more taxes than you do. Plus they pay for crap like Columbus's bus system used predominantly by poor people in the city, which depends heavily on subsidies (probably tens of thousands of $ a year per regular rider) to get by. Is that fair? Rich suburbs like New Albany are paying most of the tax dollars that get funneled to welfare programs, and subsidies for crappy urban school districts. Is that fair? :whip:

 

I haven't been to New Albany, but I live outside Dublin, and I will say that the pattern of development in Columbus's suburbs is vastly superior to development within the city limits of Columbus itself. 95% of Columbus is just miles of flat straight roads that meet at right angles at 1 mile intervals, and have ugly strip malls and bland houses/apartment complexes behind them. Ever been to Dublin before? They have built one of the finest communities I have seen in Ohio, or for that matter anywhere in the U.S. The roads are actually curved in Dublin, and they have roundabouts in some places. That breaks up the monotony. Also, there are few strip malls in Dublin. It is very nice. I hear New Albany is the same way, with carefully planned, interesting development.

 

Did you read the article about Easton/New Albany in last Sunday (March 20th) Dispatch?

New Albany does not pay anything to Columbus Public.  It all goes into New Albany/Plain Local.

In fact plenty of the northern suburbian schools cover northern Columbus proper.  Worthington built their second HS within Columbus city limits.  Polaris $$$ goes to Olentangy Schools, not Columbus.

 

95% of those flat roads in Columbus that disgust you were built before your Dublin residence was plotted out.  That is how people differentiate between urban and suburban.

 

And yes I've been to and through Dublin countless times.  It's a little rich for my blood.

locutus,

How about doing a little research before running your fat mouth.

Okay, I was typing up some long, friendly response, knowing that those more blunt than I would probably beat me to it.  So screw it... it was all rambling anyway.

 

I will say that curved streets and so forth, while they do break the monotony, can be taken to insane extremes.  Recently I was looking at an aerial image of a small area somewhere around Dublin/Columbus/Powell and playing "Count the Cul-de-Sacs"--I got to well over 100 before losing count.  It's not necessary to sacrifice so much in efficiency, shoving everyone onto a few thoroughfares to get from point A to point B, in the name of making things more interesting.  I don't think all suburbs everywhere have to have a straight grid, but they don't have to go sprawl crazy with the streets.  Dublin's not the absolute worst offender in this regard, but, while I'm sure the streets look pretty, they are the kind that just annoy me to be among.  Dublin also appears to have plenty of shopping centers and office parks to make up for its lack of strip malls.  I personally don't think it's an improvement.

Dublin has a nice little downtown.  Outside of that it seems about as generic as a place can get.  Granted it's a wealthy generic place.  I know I certainly couldn't tell when I'd crossed into Dublin from surrounding cities. How distinctive can a place be when you can't tell you've entered it?  That's what planners mean when they say "there is no there there".

95% of Columbus is just miles of flat straight roads that meet at right angles at 1 mile intervals, and have ugly strip malls and bland houses/apartment complexes behind them.

 

95% percent of columbus is NOT strip malls. please don't insult the 50 sq. miles of urban columbus.

 

also, columbus has roundabouts...i can name five off the top of my head.

 

 

so, which automobile company do you work for locutus? it seems that would explain your harsh attitude towards any other form of transit...

 

 

 

 

 

"Plus they pay for crap like Columbus's bus system used predominantly by poor people in the city, which depends heavily on subsidies (probably tens of thousands of $ a year per regular rider) to get by.  Is that fair?

 

Soo, let's deprive the people with limited means of any transportation (other than foot or bike) and prevent them from potentially obtaining gainful employment, increasing their income, and improving their quality of life and lowering the tax burden which you so unbearably deal with  :clap:

 

:roll: Ever hear of a term called 'noblesse oblige'?

I could swear I saw alot of strip centers around the intersection of Sawmill Rd & Rt 161, which, if not technically in Dublin may as well be.

 

 

I could swear I saw alot of strip centers around the intersection of Sawmill Rd & Rt 161, which, if not technically in Dublin may as well be.

 

 

 

Westside of Sawmill Rd from Martin Rd north to the county line is in Dublin Corp limits.

 

There are some commercial spaces on Sawmill Road in Dublin which is continous with the Columbus part of the commercial strip.  But you can immediatly tell once you arrive in Dublin, because the commercial spaces are much nicer, they are landscaped, etc.  There's a architecturally impressive and well landscaped Hummer dealership on 161 near the Wendys' HQ.  Also on Muirfield Avery drive there is a small commercial strip.  There is a Giant Eagle and a Kroger across the street.  But they are both very nice structures built out of brick.  I've never seen a shopping plaza as nice as either of them.  That must have to do with the Dublin building code.  Also there is a very fine European car dealership called MAG, which is housed in a architecturally interesting glass building nearby. 

 

Given Dublin's population, there are few strip malls.  There are definitely fewer strip malls per population than you see driving around in Columbus.  The city of Columbus is nothing but flat road that meet at right angles jam packed with strip malls on either side, and with houses behind them.

dude, get out of the suburban area of columbus and you will see it is not how you describe it.

There are some commercial spaces on Sawmill Road in Dublin which is continous with the Columbus part of the commercial strip. But you can immediatly tell once you arrive in Dublin, because the commercial spaces are much nicer, they are landscaped, etc. There's a architecturally impressive and well landscaped Hummer dealership on 161 near the Wendys' HQ. Also on Muirfield Avery drive there is a small commercial strip. There is a Giant Eagle and a Kroger across the street. But they are both very nice structures built out of brick. I've never seen a shopping plaza as nice as either of them. That must have to do with the Dublin building code. Also there is a very fine European car dealership called MAG, which is housed in a architecturally interesting glass building nearby.

 

Given Dublin's population, there are few strip malls. There are definitely fewer strip malls per population than you see driving around in Columbus. The city of Columbus is nothing but flat road that meet at right angles jam packed with strip malls on either side, and with houses behind them.

 

Yes Dublin's building code is different than Columbus.  But Dublin has a smaller population it has to react to, while Columbus has 800,000+ people (and 160 years of history) it has to work with.

 

That is why Tuttle mall (and the surrounding retail) goes to Columbus. Dublin would of zoned it into something like the strip mall at Franz & US 33 or the Krogers out on Avery-Murfield, just north of US 33.

Ha ha, one of Dublin's high points is a well-landscaped Hummer dealership! (Not picking on anyone--I just think it's a humorous symbol of suburbia.)

My in-laws are probably going to move into the Craughwell apartments on Avery-Murfield - we checked them out a couple weekends ago (they want to be out in the 'burbs) - that strip mall is definitely the nicest I've seen, and with the apartment complex butting up against the Giant Eagle side, it actually makes for a pretty walkable environment.  Here's some pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

Ha ha, one of Dublin's high points is a well-landscaped Hummer dealership! (Not picking on anyone--I just think it's a humorous symbol of suburbia.)

 

Dublin's high point is the Brazenhead Pub.  :drunk:

BTW, ODOT has an excellent website for the 161NExt project with up to date news, web cams, and photos of the project:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/161next/default.htm

 

The photos are a month old.

The interchange is entering a new phase of construction.  From the 7/23/05 Newark Advocate:

 

Ohio 161 east ramp closing for 30 days

 

COLUMBUS -- The next phase of reconstruction at the interchange of Ohio 161 and Interstate 270 in northeast Columbus means new headaches for Licking County commuters beginning today.  The biggest closure will come Monday when the ramp from Ohio 161 westbound (from Newark) to I-270 northbound (Westerville) will close for 30 days, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

 

Here's what else to expect:

 

* One lane of traffic each way through 8 p.m. tonight.

* The Ohio 161 eastbound ramp (from Columbus) to I-270 northbound will be closed for the up to 18 months beginning today. ODOT suggests using Ohio 3 to access I-270.

* Ohio 161 eastbound traffic (from Columbus) will be shifted to the right lanes today. There will be some lane closures.

* Westbound traffic (from Newark) will be closed at times through 5 a.m. Monday.

* The I-270 southbound ramp to Ohio 161 eastbound (toward Newark) will close from 7 a.m. to noon today.

* On Monday, the I-270 northbound ramp to Ohio 161 westbound (Columbus) will close for 30 days.

 

Full article at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050723/NEWS01/507230305/1002

 

From the 7/28/05 Rocky Fork Enterprise:

 

270-161 ramps expected to be closed for 30 days

Thursday, July 28, 2005

By RANDY NAVAROLI

Enterprise Staff Writer

 

Traveling the northeast freeways got a little more complicated Monday, when the I-270 northbound ramp to state Route 161 westbound closed for 30 days.  The Route 161 westbound ramp to I-270 northbound also closed for 30 days.  Traffic on state Route 161 westbound has been shifted to the eastbound lanes over I-270, a situation that will require short-term lane restrictions.

 

Detours are posted; most involve using state Route 3 as an alternative route through the area.  All of the traffic changes are part of the Ohio Department of Transportation's Northeast Expressway Transformation (NExT) project.

 

ODOT is focusing much of its current NExT work on rebuilding the I-270/state Route 161 interchange on the city's East Side.  According to ODOT, the 270/161/Sunbury Road corridor has become overly congested since it was originally built in the 1960s.  The NExT project is designed to transform the corridor and provide a highway system that will properly serve traffic needs into the future. According to information from ODOT, the $126-million project will involve rebuilding 17 bridges, 18 ramps and five miles of roadway.

 

Full article at http://www.thisweeknews.com/thisweek.php?edition=RockyFork&story=thisweeknews/072805/RockyFork/News/072805-News-627553.html

 

In case anyone wanted to know, they just opened the first of the new ramps at the I-270/OH 161 interchange. The ramp from I-270 southbound to OH 161 west(Worthington,Columbus) is now open. I drove on it for the first time yesterday and it seems pretty nice; it will be even better when they finish everything else.

 

I heard that ODOT hopes to have the ramp from I-270 southbound to OH 161 east(New Albany) open. They both share the same exit and ramp. ODOT hasalso put up new green signs along I-270 from OH 3/Westerville Road to OH 161.

 

Also, does anyone know if they will be putting up any VMS(variable message signs) along that portion of I-270?

Here are some pics I pulled off of the project website.  They were taken on Halloween.

 

I-270/OH-161 looking east, with the new flyover ramp:

 

Tunnel construction for the future OH-161 eastbound to I-270 southbound ramp:

 

I-270/OH-161 looking south.  OH-161 is running left to right:

 

Sunbury Rd. and OH-161:

 

I received an email from ODOT and the City of Columbus stating that the ramp from I-270 SB (to Easton, I-670) to OH 161 EB (to New Albany, Newark) will (hopefully) open later today. It is the big flyover ramp, that is about 2/3 of a mile long.

I received an email from ODOT and the City of Columbus stating that the ramp from I-270 SB (to Easton, I-670) to OH 161 EB (to New Albany, Newark) will (hopefully) open later today. It is the big flyover ramp, that is about 2/3 of a mile long.

 

One of the local traffic reports mentioned the opening of the ramp during the evening rush hour.  The traffic voice was prepping drivers mentioning that you'll come to the exit sooner (because the ramp is closer to Oh 3 than the old one was).

I know this may be a little off topic, but is OH 161(New Albany Expressway) considered interstate standard freeway? If so, does anyone think that ODOT could make the portion from I-270 to just east of U.S. 62/Johnstown Road an interstate? Just wondering

I know this may be a little off topic, but is OH 161(New Albany Expressway) considered interstate standard freeway? If so, does anyone think that ODOT could make the portion from I-270 to just east of U.S. 62/Johnstown Road an interstate? Just wondering

 

I believe the New Albany Bypass is interstate standard. If your second question was meant to make that part a I-X71(or70), there are plenty of roads in Ohio that fall in that same catigory but are still given state of federal number designations.  IOW, not very high on ODOT's priority list.

Ex- Oh 315 between I-70/71 and I-270, and US 33 from Dublin to Bellfontaine.

From ThisWeek Northland, 8/10/06:

 

Road construction projects continue in Northland area

Thursday, August 10, 2006

 

A series of roadway projects that are part of the Ohio Department of Transportation's Northeast Expressway Transformation or NEXT project will continue to impact the Northland area during the remainder of 2006 and into 2007.  ODOT officials says state Route 161 eastbound to I-270 northbound will remain closed all year.

 

Full article at http://www.thisweeknews.com/?edition=Northland&story=thisweeknews/081006/Northland/News/081006-News-202719.html

 

ODOT already opened some of the new freeway lanes and ramps in the area:

161 westbound between Little Turtle Way and Sunbury Road (new freeway lanes)

Little Turtle Way to 161 westbound (new ramp)

I-270 northbound to 161 westbound (new flyover ramp opening in late September)

From the 11/15/06 Newark Advocate:

 

161/270 congestion should be alleviated

Advocate staff report

 

COLUMBUS -- Licking County residents who commute to and from Columbus should see improvements to the flow of traffic on Columbus' northeast side starting today. 

 

"For the last couple of months, motorists exiting I-270 to Ohio 161 eastbound have been experiencing substantial delays during the evening rush due to the short merge area within the construction zone," said Dan Johnson, ODOT project engineer.  "This traffic shift won't eliminate all delays within the zone, but it should alleviate some of the backup for evening commuters."

 

Between Tuesday night and this morning, the Ohio Department of Transportation was scheduled to shift Ohio 161 eastbound traffic onto new pavement as part of the Northeast Expressway Transformation project, which will allow crews to reconstruct the old pavement.

 

Full article at

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061115/NEWS01/611150305/1002/rss01

 

The new pavement and interchange have been open for some time now and its nice to see the improvement in traffic flow. I am excited to see how the project will look when they finish it!

Resume speed

After 3 1/2 years of work, the I-270/Rt. 161 interchange is about to open, tunnel and all

Sunday,  October 21, 2007 - 3:58 AM

By Tim Doulin

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

At 55 mph, it will take about five seconds to zip through the 440-foot tunnel that will carry traffic from Rt. 161 westbound to I-270 southbound.  The tunnel, however, took about 3½ years to construct and is just part of a $134 million project to rebuild the Rt. 161 interchanges at I-270 and Sunbury Road.

 

The highway project is one of the most expensive ever initiated in central Ohio, and the tunnel is the first of its kind in the area, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.  The redone interchanges include 18 ramps, 17 bridges and 5 miles of highway that will open to motorists in phases over the next several weeks.  The tunnel could open this week, weather permitting.

 

Full article at http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/10/21/NEXTUNNEL.ART_ART_10-21-07_B1_RG87TNB.html?sid=101