Leaders seek I-71 exit near UC

 

By Barry M. Horstman • [email protected] • September 25, 2009

 

Seeking to improve access to the University of Cincinnati and the hospitals and businesses clustered in Uptown, officials are moving forward with plans to build a new Interstate 71 interchange near Martin Luther King Drive.

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The hope, inside and outside City Hall, is that the new interchange not only will eliminate the long line of red brake lights on I-71 south that can be seen most mornings approaching the nearest exit at William Howard Taft Road, but also galvanize a handful of poorer, largely minority neighborhoods.

 

 

Link:  http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090925/NEWS01/909260341/Leaders+seek+I-71+exit+near+UC

If we are adding highway exits, I'd rather add it closer to town than another one out at the sprawling edge.

I'm in support of this for the reasons outlined in the article, and because it adds an exit in lieu of the Victory Parkway interchange that was never completed.

This is one highway project I'm in favor of... I'll be even more in favor of it if I end up living in Northern Kentucky and going to grad school at UC, as it's a bit of a hassle to get to campus from I-471/I-71 as it is now. You pretty much have to get off at Reading Road and work your way through dense city streets for a while, or swing around to I-75 and get off at Hopple Street.

If we are adding highway exits, I'd rather add it closer to town than another one out at the sprawling edge.

 

I'd argue that the northern edge of Uptown is hardly the "sprawling edge", respectively.  I guess my personal opinion would pit the Sharonville/Evendale area as the "edge" to the north before you get into Exurbia.  I see infrastructure improvements (albeit highway) within denser, urban, well established neighborhoods as a good investment.  Obviously their are more efficient options out there that we discuss on other threads, but I share in Johio's thoughts.

 

Hopefully this will ultimately help the traffic clog on 71. 

I'm curious whether the MLK interchange would be a combined interchange with the Taft/McMillan ramps.  I remember seeing conceptual drawings a few years ago but I haven't been able to find them recently.

I'm curious whether the MLK interchange would be a combined interchange with the Taft/McMillan ramps. I remember seeing conceptual drawings a few years ago but I haven't been able to find them recently.

 

As of right now the plan calls for a combined interchange.  There would be a two lane collector on either side of 71 from just south of McMillan through MLK, with exits to McMillan, Taft, and MLK coming off of that.  I'll see if I can get the plan I saw and post it here.

 

This is needed badly, though.  Right now all of uptown is a mess at rush hour; there are 60,000 workers in uptown, and 15,000 commuting students, with most using the poorly designed interchanges at Hopple and Mcmillan/Taft.

 

Hopple is also getting a massive redesign along with the 75 redevelopments coming soon.

If we are adding highway exits, I'd rather add it closer to town than another one out at the sprawling edge.

 

I'd argue that the northern edge of Uptown is hardly the "sprawling edge", respectively.   I guess my personal opinion would pit the Sharonville/Evendale area as the "edge" to the north before you get into Exurbia. I see infrastructure improvements (albeit highway) within denser, urban, well established neighborhoods as a good investment. Obviously their are more efficient options out there that we discuss on other threads, but I share in Johio's thoughts.

 

Hopefully this will ultimately help the traffic clog on 71.  

 

I meant instead of the more interchanges in Butler Cty.

This is needed badly, though. Right now all of uptown is a mess at rush hour; there are 60,000 workers in uptown, and 15,000 commuting students, with most using the poorly designed interchanges at Hopple and Mcmillan/Taft.

Agreed.  Since MLK is the most auto-oriented east-west route in Uptown, it makes sense to incorporate an interchange at I-71.

I wish they would add a third through-lane on Interstate 71 at the Norwood Lateral, and add a fourth-lane for climbing the hill at Kenwood. That would do WONDERS.

I wish they would add a third through-lane on Interstate 71 at the Norwood Lateral, and add a fourth-lane for climbing the hill at Kenwood. That would do WONDERS.

 

I would love for the entire series of ramps in that area to be reconfigured.  Rather than adding the Kennedy Connector and expecting it to solve the problems around there, why not actually make one of the partial interchanges into a full interchange and eliminate the rest of the nonstandard ramps?

You know, the present situation I'm sure keeps traffic engineers up at night.  How on God's green earth do all those people manage to get to work without ramps right next to their parking spots? I live in the area and traffic is never "bad", unless you've never been to Boston or even Pittsburgh.  This all seems like an awful lot of commotion for something that will basically only convenience people for four hours a day and will provide little advantage the rest of the time.

 

If they do build this new interchange, they should close the Taft interchange entirely so that Taft and McMillan St. can each be returned to two-way traffic.  A streetcar route split between Taft and McMillan would do a lot more for the area than this new interchange. 

 

 

The one project that could improve the situation are underpasses for MLK at Clifton and Jefferson/Vine.  The Jefferson/Vine 5-way intersection has the slowest traffic lights in the area, and the situation wouldn't be what it is if some brilliant traffic engineers hadn't dreamt up the 1960's reconfiguration. 

I generally agree that switching the interchange to MLK would do wonders with underpasses at Clifton and Vine. I might even figure out a better way to take advantage of Reading in the process. That would still be a serious choke point if they moved the exit. The neighborhoods along Taft and McMillan could each transition back toward residential if they weren't nearly expressways - a streetcar would obviously cinch it.

Portion of Ky. 237 to close Thursday

 

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20091007/NEWS0103/310060105/

 

The second of two roundabouts on North Bend Road (KY 237) is now open.  Traffic was detoured from 10/8 to 10/13 to finish the job.

DOT Sign Misspells 'Cheviot' At I-74 Exit

 

http://www.wlwt.com/automotive/21315991/detail.html

 

Summary: ODOT sign on I-74 at the North Bend Road exit misspells Cheviot as "Chevoit."  Whoops..

 

Roundabouts added to North Bend Road

By Paul McKibben, Kentucky Enquirer, October 23, 2009

 

Hebron residents have been getting used to driving with two roundabouts on North Bend Road.

 

The roundabouts are at North Bend Road and Cardinal Way and at the intersection of North Bend and Graves roads in northern Boone County.

New Walton road adds safety, access

By Mark Hansel, Cincinnati Enquirer, December 7, 2009

 

WALTON - As if on cue, a train crossed over the new railroad bridge above the $4.8 million Mary Grubbs Highway Extension, just as officials were cutting the ribbon to officially open the new road.

 

Minutes earlier, Boone County Judge Executive Gary Moore had cited the safety benefit the railroad bridge above the highway would provide for motorists.

Public gets peek at Mall Road future

By Justin B. Duke, Cincinnati Enquirer, December 9, 2009

 

Residents and business owners got a look at Florence's plans for Mall Road.

 

The city hosted its second workshop Dec. 8 seeking input on the proposed revitalization plan.

Anxiety builds over I-471/Ky. 8 exit

By Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer | December 28, 2009

 

As the year ends, Newport still awaits a decision on how the state will address the congested Interstate 471 interchange with Ky. 8.  The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet needs approval from the state and federal government on the environmental studies for the interchange before choosing a design, said Nancy Wood, spokeswoman for the transportation cabinet in Northern Kentucky. Wood said there is no timetable for approval.

 

The long wait has made some in Newport anxious. Many want the project to reduce the traffic backup onto the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge. The last meeting listed on the project's Web site, www.471project.org, was May 12.  "The longer the thing is delayed, the more money the road is going to cost," said Mayor Jerry Peluso.

 

Read full article here:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091228/NEWS0108/912290362/1055/NEWS/Anxiety+builds+over+I-471/Ky.+8+exit

McMillan, Taft: Two-way streets again?

By Jane Prendergast, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 13, 2010

 

For decades, Cincinnatians have driven only one way on McMillan Avenue and William Howard Taft Road, parallel streets that have become key routes to and from East Side neighborhoods.

 

And for just about as long, residents of Walnut Hills have wanted their neighborhood streets back.

McMillan, Taft: Two-way streets again?

By Jane Prendergast, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 13, 2010

 

For decades, Cincinnatians have driven only one way on McMillan Avenue and William Howard Taft Road, parallel streets that have become key routes to and from East Side neighborhoods.

 

And for just about as long, residents of Walnut Hills have wanted their neighborhood streets back.

 

From the comments section:

Replying to Move2Cincy:

 

    Replying to Nineva:

 

        Most of the people who've posted already, have given better reasons than I could, but my gut instinct when I saw the headline was: "politically easy but dumb and ineffective". That's my 2 cents and I'm sticking to it. Also, I'm starting to have paranoic feelings about how often they tear up the streets and make my (rather limited) driving an obstacle course. I know, I know, new gas and water lines this year, but still.....FIX THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION with your limited funds!. Sheesh....

 

 

    Anything action that makes neighborhoods more walkable makes public transportation more useful and effective. This is a cost-effective way of doing that, as it requires neither a new/expanded service nor construction.

 

 

Didn't think of it that way. I've always been educable, but I never thought I'd learn something from an Enquirer blog post!

4/14/2010 8:21:42 AM

 

You don't see that too often.

End of the road for Ohio's tallest bridge

Replacement set to begin this month

By Eric Bradley • [email protected] • July 7, 2010

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100707/NEWS01/307070066/Ohio-s-tallest-bridge-being-replaced

 

 

 

BOONDOGGLE!!!!

I want a vote on this!!

 

  "It's just an ugly old truss."

 

    I'm offended. Plus, it isn't that old.

This project makes you wonder if they are actually telling the truth regarding the reliability of the bridge. Also, shouldn't these bridges be three lanes in both directions to anticipate future growth? This project feels rushed...

This seems to be a ridiculous waste of funds.  I understand many parties are involved, and it is more complex, but all the more reason the money for this should go to Brent Spence replacement.  ODOT-  you suck!

how profitable will this new bridge be?  where is the business plan?  how much will this cost the state per year to operate?  No one will ever use this bridge!  65 MPH is way to slow for a brand new bridge - if i cant go 120 miles per hour, its not even worth building.  Bridges are 1st century technology; havent we moved forward since then?  I heard the firm that designed the new bridge is baaaaaaad.  The new bridge is ugly and noisy.  Can't we take the money for the bridge and invest it in our neighborhoods and local businesses?  This bridge will never happen, ODOT is going to build the pittsburgh to chicago bridge instead!  Why doesnt this brand new bridge take me to my front door?  Even when i get off the bridge, theres nothing to do and nowhere to go!  This will take 20 years to build and by then we'll all have flying cars. 

They're probably going to do the thing where both directions get routed on one old bridge while the first new one is built in place of the old one.  It seems like they could reuse the piers and simply rebuild the deck, since that was the problem in Minneapolis, but they're probably going to rebuild the whole thing because it's getting 90% federal funds. 

 

It's like, the state is probably who decided to go with this design back in 1960, so the state should have to pay to rebuild it, in which case they'd figure out a cheaper way to do it. 

 

I don’t get why everyone constantly points out that the design of this bridge is similar to the one that collapsed in MN.  Yeah, they were both trusses.  There were undersized structural members used on the bridge that collapsed, it’s not like there is some inherent structural problem with trusses.  As long as the sizes were properly calculated, there shouldn’t be a whole lot wrong with this bridge.  I would like to see more of the logic behind the reasoning for replacement.

This project makes you wonder if they are actually telling the truth regarding the reliability of the bridge. Also, shouldn't these bridges be three lanes in both directions to anticipate future growth? This project feels rushed...

 

"The design accommodates future widening of I-71 by having sufficient bridge width to allow three, 12-foot-wide lanes with shoulders of unspecified width."

They're probably going to do the thing where both directions get routed on one old bridge while the first new one is built in place of the old one. 

 

Actually they are going to build a brand new bridge in the median, between the existing bridges, then route one direction of I-71 onto that new bridge. Then they are demolishing one span and building the other new bridge in its place and then routing the other direction onto that new one. Then the remaining bridge will be demolished.

I was actually hoping that they would do what Kentucky did with the Interstate 75/US 25/US 421 spans at Clays Ferry. One bridge was built in the late 1940s, supplemented with a parallel span in the 1960s, and connected around 2000 to make a six-lane (three-lanes in each direction) crossing.

God forbid Cincy sprawls past that bridge.

I was actually hoping that they would do what Kentucky did with the Interstate 75/US 25/US 421 spans at Clays Ferry. One bridge was built in the late 1940s, supplemented with a parallel span in the 1960s, and connected around 2000 to make a six-lane (three-lanes in each direction) crossing.

 

See my comments upthread...the median is wider (84'); and I think the suspended spans in the existing bridge reek havoc with that, tho I'm not a bridge engineer

Well, the I-75/US 25/421 span is a continuous Warren-truss bridge.

 

 

The I-71 span is mentioned as a deck truss, although that merely means that the roadway/surface is above the truss. From the images found, this looks like a continuous Warren-truss as well.

 

Inre Suspended Spans, see this document:

 

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Communications/TIGER%20Grant%20applications/Interstate%2071%20Jeremiah%20Morrow%20Bridge%20Modernization%20Project%20TIGER%20Grant%20Application%20Final.pdf

 

I betcha the KY river span originally had only 60' between the bridges, as opposed to the 84' we have at the J.M. Bridge.

 

Thanks for that link. Looks like just based on the AADT alone, especially with the rise in truck traffic, that a six-lane span would be necessary, with planning for six-lane widening through at least Warren County. It appears that there is significant structural disrepair on the bridge that require immediate correction, but not without significant delays and costs. The gusset plates need stiffening, and pins need replacing, along with the bridge deck, and there is no reasonable detour.

 

I wasn't aware that the span was closed to heavy/overweight trucks.

 

It looks like at the most, a 60 minute closure of the Little Miami Trail will be enacted.

 

As for the median width, parkways were built with 36' medians, although the raised medians are 30' and some newer sections are as wide as 45'. A rural freeway should have 50', although Kentucky has 60' on its rural segments -- and this bridge.

All I know is that I'm going to have to become very familiar w/ US 42 and 22/3 for my trips between Cincy and Cbus. Maybe if we had one of those train thingies, I wouldn't have to worry about this being a pain in my arse.

2 thru lanes each direction will be maintained at all times, same as now...so no delays during daylight hours...at nite they maybe closing lanes

My understanding is that this bridge is similar to the Minneapolis bridge not only in that it's an under-deck truss, but also that it's a fracture-critical truss.  That's the important part.  When a truss bridge is fracture-critical, that means any of a large number of plates, girders, attachments, etc., could develop a crack that perpetuates to a cascade failure of the whole structure.  It requires extra diligent inspection and maintenance to maintain such a bridge, and the long span and crazy height of this one makes that very difficult. 

 

The reason this project got the go-ahead now is because it's shovel ready.  The replacement bridge was designed years ago, and it's just been sitting on a shelf somewhere waiting for funds, there's nothing rushed about it.  The engineering firm states that the new bridge will accommodate 3 lanes each way with wide shoulders, or 4 lanes each way with narrow shoulders, though I sure hope we never see the need for an 8-lane I-71 in this area. 

I enjoy nothing more than driving across an already narrow bridge w/ big trucks and jersey barriers all around me. A sneeze and that expressway will be shut down for hours - it already happens often enough. Git'er done.

  "I would like to see more of the logic behind the reasoning for replacement."

 

  It is load-rated. Heavy trucks are prohibited. Plus, the steel truss design is falling out of favor.

 

 

I would say the fracture-critical design is falling out of favor. Trusses are still being designed and built.

Anyone know what's up on 275 between Forest Park and Reagan? It looks like they might be putting concrete foundation in the middle, are the planning on redoing that entire section in the near future?

I know they are widening the overlap of I-74 and I-275. Maybe they are extending the exit ramp from cross county to I-74.

I know they are widening the overlap of I-74 and I-275. Maybe they are extending the exit ramp from cross county to I-74.

 

Not sure, whatever they're doing stretches all the way to forest park where the previous construction ended.... and looks terrible. It has to be the beginning of some sort of construction phase or some sort of abstract art.

I think they are doing something that resembles this.  I noticed KDOT started using these on 75 in Southern KY recently and it looks as if ODOT may go cable crazy too.  I guess it will surely aid in keeping median crossovers deaths to nill. 

 

I just hope they are done building noise walls!! 

We finally have some final information on the project. EXPRESS LANES DURING CONSTRUCTION! The inside lane just paved recently is the express lane.

 

Construction On The Top Side Of I-275 To Begin In The Spring

 

eported by: Deb Haas

Web produced by: Candice Terrell

Photographed by: 9News

First posted: 11/28/2006 4:01:13 PM

 

A huge road project is set to begin on Interstate-275 in the spring.  The project covers seven miles, at a cost of $140 million.  The Ohio Department of Transportation said that's the biggest contract ever in this region.  One section carries as many as 145,000 cars a day.  That's 53 million a year on the stretch of I-275.  The Project Will Affect Commuters In Ohio.  The project will cover seven miles from the Winton Road exit to US 42.  Joseph Bassil with the Ohio Department of Transportation said, "Its going to slow down, there are gonna be some backups, but like any construction project, there are gonna be some growing pains in order to improve the facility, you have to suffer for a little while."

 

During the four years of suffering, work crews will rebuild pavement, add an additional lane in each direction, and widen bridges.  They will reconstruct other bridges, upgrade lighting and drainage and add noisewalls.  Cliff Whigham of Kennedy Heights said, "I think that may cause a lot of problems as far as congested traffic. Thats a long time, four years."  There Are Alternates To The Anticipated Congestion.  Drivers can avoid some of the congestion by taking an express lane that will run the length of the project.  Once you enter that lane, you won't be able to exit until the end. It has no exit points midway.  Good news though, there will be no ramp closures, no detours.  But some bridges, like the one on Chesterdale, will close to pedestrians and become one lane during the work.

 

At Mel's Auto Glass on Reading Road, owners wish the construction would bring even more change.  Lisa Wolf owns Mel's Auto Glass, "As far as adding a lane, at the beginning and end of the day, it'll certainly help to get people to where they want to do. I would prefer to see if they're gonna do it to add another lane while it's torn up."  Project engineers said they agree 100 percent, but simply couldn't get the funding to make that happen.

 

Again, the project should begin in the spring and wind up in the summer or fall of 2010.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the "145,000 cars a day" figure was likewise cherry-picked from old data to make it look like this project is "necessary" like they did for the split in Columbus. ODOT simply kept silent on newer data that renders the plan for additional lanes null and void and instead used data at least a decade out of date to make their case for one of the largest wastes of Ohio taxpayer money. Unfortunately, somehow being located within the drawn up boundaries of Ohio means no one else gives a shit (and I mean no one) when ODOT is outright lying or utilizing local city government employees who just so happened to be formerly or currently employed (directly or indirectly) by ODOT. And I mean no one. Hell, video of ODOT's incriminating response to my accusations was removed from the city of Columbus' TV channel website, yet all the other videos somehow load just fine and don't give you an error page.

 

Ohio specific rant aside, I love how we spend hundreds of millions just so that many Americans don't actually have to live with the consequences (i.e. take responsibility) of making an idiotic life decision: they should all be able to have a 60 mile one-way car commute free of traffic (and carpooling) no matter what the cost. Imagine if it were pedestrians, bus riders and cyclists were vocal enough to make traffic engineers bend over backwards and smooch their asses instead.

 

There were already enough lanes available and this project is just yet another missed opportunity to bring this state into the 21st century...or maybe not, since in order for an opportunity to exist here there would have to have been the chance that this money wouldn't be spent widening the highway.

Newport awaits decisions on Ky. 8 exit from I-471

By Scott Wartman • [email protected] • October 31, 2010

 

NEWPORT - The future of the congested Ky. 8 exit off Interstate 471 in Newport still concerns many residents, but little information in the past year has come from the state about plans to improve it.

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101031/NEWS0103/11010310/Newport-awaits-decisions-on-Ky-8-exit-from-I-471