From ThisWeek German Village, 1/26/06:

 

 

Talks continuing on I-70/I-71 project

Short North-style 'caps' are among the several design proposals

Thursday, January 26, 2006

BY TRISTAN CROWE

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

German Village Society members are continuing talks about the Ohio Department of Transportation's I-70/ I-71 highway project.

 

Society members voiced concerns regarding ODOT's plans for restructuring the downtown corridor of I-70/I -71 during the January meeting and currently await the department's decision on a definitive plan.

 

http://thisweeknews.com/thisweek.php?edition=GermanVillage&story=thisweeknews/012606/GermanVillage/News/012606-News-85581.html

 

Grand boulevard still city’s choice to fix I-70/71 split

State transportation officials against idea because of expense, disruptions to traffic

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Tim Doulin

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The Ohio Department of Transportation and the city of Columbus remain divided over how to fix the I-70/71 Downtown split.

 

A coalition that includes the city is asking ODOT to keep a proposal for a grand boulevard as an option in rebuilding that portion of the freeway.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/02/01/20060201-E10-01.html

Proctor said construction of the proposed boulevard would create a number of logistical problems, including nightmarish congestion caused by motorists being rerouted onto city streets.

 

You've got to be kidding. ODOT had no problems closing down I-670 through downtown for nearly 2 years, and they're afraid to close I-70/71 for reconstruction? If they make 315/670 an alternate, they shouldn't have to worry much about traffic clogging up city streets. ODOT has absolutely no forsight in any matter, and if something comes up that contradicts what they want, they piss and moan about it.

ODOT threw up much the same arguments against the Short North Cap over I-670 before it was built.  Virtually all of their fears were unfounded.  Unfotunately, we are dealing with a culture at ODOT that is more about putting up roadblocks than seeking solutions.

FYI...

 

WHAT:

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will hold a public meeting Wednesday night to share its recommendations for rebuilding the Interstate 70/71 “split†in downtown Columbus. 

 

ODOT considers the highway one of the most congested, high-crash freeway locations in the state.  It was built more than 40 years ago and carries about 175,000 vehicles a day — 50,000 more than the highway was designed to handle.  As a result, the highway experiences about 800 crashes a year or more than two crashes each day.

 

For the past year, ODOT has been studying five alternatives for fixing the freeway.  The department’s goal was to narrow the alternatives to no more than two, which could be studied in greater detail over the next six months.

 

As part of its recommendations, ODOT plans to move forward in studying one alternative for rebuilding the east leg of the freeway along I-71.  However, narrowing the alternatives on the south leg – where I-70 and I-71 overlap – will be delayed until the city of Columbus and ODOT can reach agreement on which alternatives will move forward for continued analysis. 

 

WHO:

ODOT representatives, as well as consultants working with the department to develop solutions, will be on hand to answer questions and record public comments. 

 

WHEN & WHERE:

 

February 15

Open House from 5 to 7 p.m.

Columbus Health Department Auditorium

Presentation at 5:30 p.m. (Room 119C)

240 Parsons Avenue (corner of Parsons and Main)

Free parking in rear

nbc4i.com

Solutions For Downtown Split Unveiled

Construction Could Begin In 2010

 

POSTED: 6:28 pm EST February 15, 2006

UPDATED: 6:47 pm EST February 15, 2006

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After a year of exploring possible solutions for a troubled stretch of road, officials have narrowed down the choices to two options.

 

Now, engineers are asking for the public to help decide what should be done to the Interstate 70, Interstate 71 split downtown, NBC 4's Marshall McPeek reported.

 

http://www.nbc4i.com/traffic/7092486/detail.html#

GRAND BOULEVARD’ WORKSHOP PLANNED

Suit with city possible over I-70/71 split, state says

Friday, February 24, 2006

Tim Doulin

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

 

 

Squabbling between state transportation officials and the city of Columbus has delayed plans to fix the dangerous I-70/71 Downtown split.

 

Disagreements over how to fix the problem have set the project back six months. Construction was supposed to start in 2009. State officials now say work might not begin until 2010.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/02/24/20060224-C1-04.html

Wow.  Maybe threats of taking the agency to court will make ODOT realize that they are actually accountable to the communities which they work for!

 

After looking on the website about the proposals though, I can kind of see where ODOT is coming from.  A really wide boulevard sounds nice, but not for pedestrians.  It would be okay if they would place shops along the points of the boulevard where high, 3rd, and 4th streets cross (maybe with little vendor stands in the median?).  Then it wouldn't seem like a huge barrier to cross going from German village to downtown, vice versa.

 

But if the boulevard is rejected, it does sound like ODOT is really considering caps along those points anyway.  The project doesn't seem so bad in that case.

 

As far as worrying about all the people flooding the local streets during construction, I don't see their point (though I am not a transportation expert  :-)).  Why can't they detour poeple to Columbus's moat (I-270) and possibly onto I-670.  Otherwise, drivers would be going downtown or nearby and would need to be on those streets or nearby ones anyway.   

But if the boulevard is rejected, it does sound like ODOT is really considering caps along those points anyway.  The project doesn't seem so bad in that case.

After attending the public meeting a few weeks back, I'm quite sure that ODOT is serious about building caps.  The are budgeting 10 million for 2-3 caps (probably one for Long, one for High, and one for Front).

 

As far as worrying about all the people flooding the local streets during construction, I don't see their point (though I am not a transportation expert  :-)).  Why can't they detour poeple to Columbus's moat (I-270) and possibly onto I-670.  Otherwise, drivers would be going downtown or nearby and would need to be on those streets or nearby ones anyway.   

This has to do with the traffic volumes that would be detoured and not allowed to exit into downtown.  During the public meeting, they threw up a statistic about how much traffic was detoured when I-670 was shut down, then compared that to the split.  I can't recall the exact numbers but I think it was 3-4 times larger.  ODOT does not want to put up a freeway sign that says "Columbus Closed...Come Back in 4 Years".  That's what constructing the Grand Boulevard would result in.  The one way CD options allow for a phased approach to construction and therefore keep the split open during construction.

Why not just route I-71 onto 315 and have 315/I-71 connect with I-71 north of Columbus in Delaware County?

Why not just route I-71 onto 315 and have 315/I-71 connect with I-71 north of Columbus in Delaware County?

 

Why not just elimnate the remining 72 freeway exits within the outerbelt and force people to bypass columbus around I-270?   :?

Why not just route I-71 onto 315 and have 315/I-71 connect with I-71 north of Columbus in Delaware County?

 

Because any connection north of I-270 would require a new highway, crossing the Olentangy River and running through Orange Twp.

If environmental concerns wouldn't stop construction, political pressure (from the Middle class citizens up there) would.

Why not just route I-71 onto 315 and have 315/I-71 connect with I-71 north of Columbus in Delaware County?

 

Why not just elimnate the remining 72 freeway exits within the outerbelt and force people to bypass columbus around I-270?   :?

 

And what would plan to do for those who lived within the I-270 loop?

Perhaps the  :? didn't show my sarcasm well enough.

Perhaps the  :? didn't show my sarcasm well enough.

 

Yeah, a smirk or a wink icon would of been more effective at holding off my fire. :-)

After attending the public meeting a few weeks back, I'm quite sure that ODOT is serious about building caps.  The are budgeting 10 million for 2-3 caps (probably one for Long, one for High, and one for Front).

 

Brewmaster--

 

Thanks for the info.  It'll be good to see a reconnection to the East Side with a cap on Long St. 

 

Do you know what they are planning to do with the 3rd/4th street looparound area?

I could be wrong, but I believe thier current plan eliminates the 3rd/4th st. exits entirely.  They are relying on one-way collector/distributor roads to bring all traffic in and out of downtown.  I think they are taking out all but a couple of exits along the split. 

 

Say you were coming into downtown from the west side.  You would take an exit labeled "downtown" that would put you on a reworked version of Livingston or Fulton that starts around the the Scioto.  You'd then proceed down Livingston or Fulton (one way) until you hit your connecting street.  This would eliminate most of the merging and rapid lane changes that occur on the split by getting the traffic off/on the highway in a more organized way.

From ThisWeek Clintonville, 3/30/06:

 

 

Workshop on I-70/71 split proves to be inconclusive

Thursday, March 30, 2006

By SUE HAGAN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

A constructability workshop held March 23 did not produce enough detail for the city of Columbus and the Ohio Department of Transportation to conclude its discussions on whether the Grand Boulevard option is feasible as part of the I-70/71 split reconstruction.

 

Now, ODOT says it will talk some more with the city and make its recommendation in April on whether further study should be done or if the option should be dropped.

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/thisweek.php?edition=Clintonville&story=thisweeknews/033006/Clintonville/News/033006-News-124788.html

Which city officials are pushing for the stupid boulevard idea?

^ I'd like to know that too.  As a resident that lives two blocks away...I even dislike the Grand Boulevard option (and the city is proposing this for me!).  I'd like to send a letter to the people advocating this flawed plan on my behalf.

From Business First of Columbus, 4/10/06:

 

 

Split decision

Two opposing sides battle over future interstate access

Business First of Columbus - April 7, 2006

by Adrian Burns

Business First

 

In 30 years, some people may not remember the disagreements over the redesign of the Interstate 70 and 71 ramps in downtown Columbus.

 

But most likely, it will be apparent whether the final decision was right or wrong.

 

The Ohio Department of Development and a coalition of local leaders want to make the right choice for what has become known as the I-70/71 split, but they still haven't reached an agreement on what that is.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/04/10/focus1.html?from_rss=1

 

Boulevard above I-70/71 called too pricey

State likes other plans; city not giving up

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Tim Doulin

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

State transportation officials want to dump the city’s request to cover the proposed fix for the I-70/71 split with a shop-lined, eight-lane boulevard. The state said the city’s plan would cause traffic problems and cost too much.

 

The Ohio Department of Transportation asked the Federal Highway Administration to take the idea off the table as the state moves forward and studies two other alternatives, the state said.

 

http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/06/01/20060601-A1-02.html

This whole process is pissing me right off.  Someone needs to grow a set and make a decision!

People tend to forget that ODOT fought the I-670 "Cap" in much the same way they are fighting this proposal today.  We are dealing with a very institutionalized "my-way-or-the-highway" philosophy that has to be dragged kicking and screaming toward anything that is different or new.

ODOT just wants to build roads and doesn't want any meddling from anyone. The only reason there is any sort of discussion is because they are forced to have hearings by law. There are some very good people at ODOT, but unfortunately, they don't run the show.

 

I wonder if, at the end of the day, whether the city could block this project until they get an accomodation?

Personally, I think they should just cap portions of the freeway, so that both sides will be happy. I would rather see caps than a grand boulevard. Just my two cents.

Well ODOT is planning to put aside money for 2-3 caps (Long, High, and Front).  They've already made concessions here.  The crime is that the city jumped in at the 11th hour with a flawed proposal.  Someone at the city needs to just swallow thier pride and go with the ODOT plan before the whole project is too expensive to build.  Anybody check the prices of concrete and steel lately?

I agree. Having an 8-lave boulevard Downtown is just too much in my opinon. Wouldn't this proposed boulevard be almost as wide as Polaris Parkway is from about I-71 to Old State Road? Besides, I think that the caps would look much better. On a bit of a side note, has anyone else noticed that there is an arch over East Long Street,at I-71, that says "King-Lincoln"? It looks very nice!

This 8 lane boulevard would be in additon to Livingston?? If so, that's a bit much. I'd favor widening Livingston and Fulton maybe a lane and capping at Long, High and Front. Is there a link for this?

Here's the link...

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/7071study/

 

Here's the latest analysis...

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/7071study/Information%20link.asp

 

The Boulevard would actually INCREASE the divide that the 70/71 split has created.  Great job city leaders!  :roll:

I just read a story on the cover of the German Village Gazette about the split.  It said that ODOT finally stepped up and took the uber crappy Grand Boulevard scheme off the table.  It will now focus on the Livingston/Fulton and Fulton/Mound plans.

 

I couldn't find anything on the www.snponline.com website.

The Dispatch tries, but the dates and names don't seem to match.  It's

Yellow book, Bergendoff, Bartholomew, then ODOT on the chronological order

of proposals on the innerbelt. Columbus Public Library doesn't have a copy

of any city trans. plan between 1952 (Bergendoff) and 1973 (first MORPC

report) and their news index doesn't make it before 1962 so there is no easy

way to follow this up. :|

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/06/19/20060619-A1-03.html

 

FREEWAY FIXES

I-70/71 split is divisive in other ways

Monday, June 19, 2006

Tim Doulin

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Some call the I-70/71 split Downtown a scar on the city.

 

About 1.5 miles long, the stretch of freeway is blamed for separating Downtown from German Village and Olde Towne East.

 

It is not a problem unique to Columbus.

 

"Since the day after they dug the first trench for a freeway, people realized, 'Hey, we used to talk about being on the other side of the tracks,'"said Ben Coifman, associate professor of civil engineering and electrical engineering at Ohio State University. "Now, it is the other side of the freeway."

The cost of fixing the split will likely be in excess of $600 million!?!? What!!!? I thought I heard Harvey Wasserman mention something about adding a lane (lanes?) to I-7I that was going to cost $500 million, so is this what he was talking about? I thought maybe it was for the stretch between Columbus-Cleveland.

 

In Austin their starting light rail route is expected to cost $60 million with operating costs around a measly $5 million (http://allsystemsgo.capmetro.org/community_input_full.asp). So he was right, we could have light rail AND it could be subsidized for years with that money...ODOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :whip:

 

 

Columbus gave up on it's (Now described as business lined [?!?!]) boulvard proposal.

ODOT has committed to two caps (near east & German Village) though the city wants 10 in total.

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/20/20060720-B1-04.html

The mayor's office is on a roll lately!  First a major decision about the main st. bridge, and now the major decision to let ODOT go through with it's plans (and placing emphasis were it belongs...on caps, not a grand boulevard).  What's next...long awaited news about RiverSouth?!?!

 

10 caps eh?

 

Here's how I would rank them...

1st tier - Front, High, 3rd, Broad

2nd tier - Long, 4th, Main

3rd tier - Grant, Spring

 

That's 9 right there.  The only other possibilities would be Town, Fulton/Livingston at the turn, or 2nd street once it is rebuilt through the Brewery District.

 

I wonder if any of these caps might get the Condo treatment?

I'd like to see that. I wonder how high they could build them with their weight + their being over a highway. Now they've got to find funding and start building them.

Anything is possible with these caps. They could have businesses, housing, whatever. I remember talking about a series of caps like these with then-Columbus City Councilman Sensenbrenner and his reaction was "Wow, you think BIG!". Well, here we are.

 

I'd bet we'll see maybe five of these out of the ten the city wants, because of the cost...

Here's the rest of the info from the Dispatch...

 

 

It looks like they want Front to 3rd and Spring to Broad will be capped with plazas and retail.

 

With the pricetag of almost $60 million, I can't see the city justifying either of those plaza caps on the east side.

Okay, enough politicking.

 

Grasscat: you bake those brownies of yours. ColDayMan, you whip up some snickerdoodles. MayDay, you get the cardtable, I'm going the store for posterboard and markers:

 

We're having a bakesale and raising the money and doing it OUR way.

 

And stay out, ODOT. You're not allowed.

Okay, enough politicking.

 

Grasscat: you bake those brownies of yours. ColDayMan, you whip up some snickerdoodles. MayDay, you get the cardtable, I'm going the store for posterboard and markers:

 

We're having a bakesale and raising the money and doing it OUR way.

 

And stay out, ODOT. You're not allowed.

 

I'm black.  We don't *do* snickerdoodles.

I've never *done* a snickerdoodle either, and I'm white as hell.

 

Fine: I'm putting you down for lemon squares.

 

And no grumbling, mister.

Lemon squares?  Are you IMPLYING, you Metro Detroit racist, that BLACKS love to use lemons because we make LEMONADE?!?!  Is THAT what you are SAYING!!!?!?!

 

- May the Force be with you because God ain't!!!

Here's the rest of the info from the Dispatch...

 

 

Now who wants to doodle these on a google map (cuz they're the nicest looking in my opinion) so we can see what these caps will look like on a map? And will chocolate macaroons suffice?

Lemon squares?  Are you IMPLYING, you Metro Detroit racist, that BLACKS love to use lemons because we make LEMONADE?!?!  Is THAT what you are SAYING!!!?!?!

 

Okay, fine.

 

I'll put you down for fried chicken.

 

[iNSERT SMILEY EMOTICON HERE]

...And will chocolate macaroons suffice?

 

Easy with the "chocolate macaroons" comments, dig?

 

Moving on...

 

So are we to assume at this point the ODOT has addressed and blessed a traffic-flow solution for the freeways and all we're doing now is wondering what's going on at street level? If so, I say pop caps all over the place. Unless I'm missing something, the High St. model appears to be working.

 

 

We'll have to wait for the split to get fixed before any caps will appear, which will be years from now. They should ditch fixing the split and just cap if you ask me. Now, when they say a plaza cap between Long and Broad they mean that there will be a plaza covering the entire freeway exposed between those two bridges? That's be awesome. Prediction: a high number of acidents will continue to take place regardless due to the high number of drivers on the road, which won't be reduced by fixing the split.

 

How about mixed white and milk chocoalte macaroons living in harmony?

I don't think that's right.  ODOT intended to implement two caps as part of the project to fix the split.  I wouldn't see how 10 caps wouldn't be constructed at the same time as well.  It's just building a wider bridge.

Lemon squares?  Are you IMPLYING, you Metro Detroit racist, that BLACKS love to use lemons because we make LEMONADE?!?!  Is THAT what you are SAYING!!!?!?!

 

- May the Force be with you because God ain't!!!

 

I guess you never heard Robert Johnson sing about squeezing lemons.

 

We'll have to wait for the split to get fixed before any caps will appear, which will be years from now. They should ditch fixing the split and just cap if you ask me. Now, when they say a plaza cap between Long and Broad they mean that there will be a plaza covering the entire freeway exposed between those two bridges? That's be awesome. Prediction: a high number of acidents will continue to take place regardless due to the high number of drivers on the road, which won't be reduced by fixing the split.

 

How about mixed white and milk chocoalte macaroons living in harmony?

 

Then this all just seems like a big wankfest for planners, above grade and below. Unless caps and "Grand Boulevards (we have one of those in Detroit, and it's only "Grand" in places) are covering over a practical solution for what is seen as a traffic hazard, then it seems like everybody here is on a crash course for disappointment.

 

Nonetheless, I'm going to go read backwards here for four pages and attempt to gain insight as to how government agencies can travel so gracefully is such "grand" circles.

 

At my most cantankerous, I say yeah: cover up the freeway and find feasable, affordable solutions for diminishing automobile traffic while boosting the safety and usability of our downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

 

Oh, I don't know, something crazy like--LIGHT FREAKING RAIL!!!

 

Signed,

 

King "White Chocolate" Fish

SILENCE, WITH YOUR RACIST COMMENTS!!!