Would these HOV lanes double as potential rapid bus lanes?  That would be an inexpensive way to improve the Metro system in Cincy.

Most times HOV/HOT lanes are used by carpools/vanpools, buses, motorcycles, electric cars, natural gas cars and sometimes hybrids. 

I don't think there would be room for another two lanes on I-71...I counted as I drove south on 71 yesterday, and there are probably 20+ situations like the following between downtown and 275 - here's 71S as it crosses under Robertson (just north of Smith/Edwards):

 

 

...and here's just south of that at, I believe, the Trimble underpass:

 

 

...lots of spots with tight squeezes and bridge abutments between the northbound and southbound lanes.  If you got rid of the berms entirely, it might be possible, but that would lead to a ton more headaches when someone broke down.  There are some goodly stretches between exits on 71...hell, it's about three miles between Dana and Taft...

It's very possible. You can have 5 11 1/2 foot lanes and one shoulder on the right, instead of 4 12 foot lanes and 2 10 foot shoulders.

I was speaking north of Norwood Lateral where there is that double barrier.  Most of I-71 doesn't have 2 10 foot shoulders does it?  I thought most inside shoulders were in that 6 foot range.  I think it would be better to have bigger inside shoulders as it seems people in Cincinnati with the sh!ty cars drive in the left most lane and break down in it, eliminating a lane all together. Also, it is best to keep the lanes at 12 feet, because the Brent Spence is 11 and those are too small, so I'd rather have the extra foot than just 6 inches. 

I'm not sure exactly how wide 71 actually is - I just played with some Google satellite images, counting pixels and doing a little trigonometry, and at least at the spot I checked (a little north of Edwards), it looks like the entire roadbed is about 140' wide.  That would give room for a 10-foot shoulder on each side and 5 lanes of 12' each way, without any divider between lanes.  So figure 8' shoulders and 4' dividing north from south, with still comfortable-feeling lanes.  Then in tight spots, you could just drop the shoulder entirely for the 50' or so it would take.  So yeah, you're right, there probably would be room.

 

Of course, there's still the left-hand merges at 562/Ridge to worry about...driving past those, I don't see room to handle the 562 to 71N lanes by going overhead...of course, my judgement of such things is completely amature, so I stand to be corrected!

 

If that couldn't be solved, the HOV lanes could just start north of Ridge like CincyBearcat suggests...there are still some narrow spots (looks like 71 by Montgomery is even a bit narrower than in Norwood), but maybe those could be handled...

High water on the Great Miami

 

 

The final section has been laid, ready for decking

 

How about from the Rossville side?

 

 

 

Portune's 'no' can't halt Rybolt project

BY KIMBALL PERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

To make sure the proposed relocation of Rybolt Road was approved Wednesday by Hamilton County commissioners, all three Green Township trustees showed up at the meeting to push for it.

 

When it passed 2-1, Trustee Chuck Mitchell thanked the commissioners who voted for it - an overt shot at the commissioner who didn't, Todd Portune.

 

"Thank you commissioners (Phil) Heimlich and (Pat) DeWine," Mitchell said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=NEWS

This area is a mess now....and will continue to be a mess.  This is unless we go forth with light-rail and utilize the proposed stop along Harrison Ave. near I-74.  Until then gridlock will grow.

See this was one reason why these townships need to become a city. The county has too much input on issues such as transportation.

township = careless growth

I am slightly stupified as to why Portune voted no on the project. So the neighbors think it won't help. Of course they are going to say that - they do not want a four lane road extension near their houses, but to say that this relocation project will do nothing to alleviate gridlock is a slap in the face to the people involved in the countless preparing the studies, recommending the alternatives, and actually preparing the detailed design for this relocation. I too live one mile from this project area and almost on a daily basis enter the intersection of Harrison and Rybolt. It's crazy, and it needs to be fixed. I've seen (drafted) the plans for the project, and it makes me very happy to know that this project will increase flow on Rybolt and Harrison.

 

Mr. Portune and those naysayers of this project need to realize that this relocation is just one phase of the reconfiguration of the Rybolt Rd Interchange, and when it is finished drivers on Rybolt, Harrison, and I-74 will benefit. Gone will be cars queuing on to the mainline. Gone should be residents the Ruwe's Oak development complaining about not being able to get out. (Note: Ruwe's Oak Dr. was placed in a horrible location). Personally I can't wait for this interchange to transform into something that can accomodate the growth that has and will occur in the future in the area.

 

Now that this project is going to get off the ground, residents of the township should complain about the queuing that occurs at Sheed for me, for I'd really like a light put there.

I live off Ruwe's Oaks in the condos.  I am very glad the other two commisioners are awake and paying attention.  The county can't continue to allow building out there without addressing the infrastructure needs.  Portune is an idiot as far as I am concerned.  Most everyone I know in the area supports this realignment.  Portune should move out of the county if he doesn't like it :-D.

 

I would love to see light rail going out to that area, but so far no one has produced a plan that the majority would support.  Maybe this will change soon--until then we have to have roads.

 

From the 3/20/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Stine pushes for I-471 ramp

State senator trying to get cash for project

BY MIKE RUTLEDGE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

State Sen. Katie Stine isn't concerned that an improved Newport exit ramp from southbound Interstate 471 to Ky. 8 didn't make Gov. Ernie Fletcher's six-year highway plan, she said.

 

But the Republican from Southgate is working to win another $8 million for future spending on the project, to make sure the project avoids roadblocks in the future.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060320/NEWS0103/603200382/1059/rss13

 

Just to update this, a story from three weeks ago!

 

 

Wooster Pike widening can begin

Columbia Twp. and state went round over plans

BY STEVE KEMME | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

COLUMBIA TWP. - Despite a lot of opposition in the early planning stages, a $4.4 million project to widen Wooster Pike from four to five lanes between Newtown Road and the eastern boundary of Mariemont will begin in April.

 

The middle lane will serve as a two-way left-turn lane, designed to improve safety and traffic flow.

 

What they think

Beth Weiner, a saleswoman at Pete Delois' Recreations Outlet on Wooster, said she likes the road project, but worries about its impact on business during the construction period.

 

"I'm a little concerned because our business is seasonal," she said. "We have six months to capitalize on. But the project will be good for us in the long run."

 

Charles Garnett, who owns the Plainville Barbershop on Wooster Pike, said he thinks the project is a waste of money.

 

"It's not going to improve the flow of traffic because Wooster Pike goes to a single lane in Mariemont," he said.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060306/NEWS01/603060331/-1/back01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure where they are going with the north side of the east abutment, although I'd assume a small observation deck

 

Can't wait for the temporary sidewalk to come down

"How are you going to get to Dayton?"

 

...a new bridge over from Eastern Ave./Columbia Parkway.

^My grandparents live in Eagle's Lake, that whole hilltop is a mess in itself, one of the first examples of a development pattern taking over the whole Appalachian foothills region of the country.  The hilltop apartment/condo complex is a particular building type which is going to become increasingly popular, they're all terribly cut off from their surroundings due to the steep access roads.  They have a few in Athens with another big 600 unit one on the way.  I would love to see this building type banned in Green and Colerain Townships, that action alone would prevent the outrageous overdevelopment going on, not to mention that this reconfiguration of the interchange should have happened in conjunction with the sewer line extension, before all that new crap started sprouting. 

 

The Sheed Rd. intersection is absolutely terrible to the point of being almost useless when turning left during rush hour.  The shopping center and all these new condos and subdivisions should have NEVER been approved.  Also, the Eagle's Nest condos seem to be aging a lot better than the newer Eagle's Lake condos.  There was also supposed to be another entrance to Eagle's Lake from Wesselman Rd. but all the paranoid old people cancelled it.  In the early days of that development the gate actually opened and closed but they had so many problems with it that they turned it off.  More recently some teenagers rammed the brick entranceway which was a signal to a lot of the retired people that the Wesselman Rd. hoodlums had penetrated after all and now it was time to escape to higher ground, maybe a new condo development out near Harrison.  That condo development also has had a lot of problems with its lake, from an aggressive swan that had to be euthanized after it charged people's grandkids to a woman falling through the ice trying to feed the ducks one winter.  My grandpa moved there because he wanted to be able to drive his model boats but then they banned remote control boats from the lake.  Those complexes are never any fun because they ban everything.  You can't play music, you can't work on your car, you can't have parties, none of that.     

 

They have installed the cables that create tension accross the girders and installed truck lines for utilities, so I'm anticipating the forms for the deck and rebar will come soon.

 

Rebar work has begun, we might see a deck in a few weeks!

 

 

^ Cool shots!

OKI spending $750K for I-471 traffic study

 

Post staff report

 

The Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments will spend $750,000 to study traffic along Interstate 471 in Campbell County, Ky., Judge-Executive Steve Pendery said Wednesday.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060601/NEWS01/606010359

The deck is really coming along, I was quite excited at all the action.

 

Reebar a plenty

 

That metal track is for lighting on the bridge I'm told

 

Forming the balconies/lookouts/bumpouts

Wow, I thought the pour was a couple weeks off, but today I observed what looked to be a completed rebar job and that they had brought in the boom thing (?) that they used when they poured the last section of deck. Maybe this week!!!

Last Friday, they closed the bridge at 9 P.M. and poured the bridge overnight, finally finishing at 1 P.M. Saturday. It is still covered in plastic, but you can slightly see the edge of the pour.

 

From www.highmainbridge.com:

 

Approximately 1200 cubic yards of concrete were placed, taking 120 truckloads to deliver, with a total weight of over four and a half million pounds of concrete. The entire bridge deck is now over 102’ in width, with a concrete weight of over six and a half million pounds.

 

Before the pour:

The first detailed item was revealed yesterday when the first two railing piers came out of their forms. I think I like them, simple yet classy.

 

From the Hilltop Press, 7/26/06:

 

 

I-275 barriers waiting for money

BY ANDREA REEVES | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER

 

FOREST PARK -- Elkwood Drive resident Lynn Hardy opened her back door -- and the noise from Interstate 275 just behind her home nearly drowned out her voice.

 

"My yard goes back pretty far and all the trucks and cars run above my fence," she said. "I can't go out there and have company without the expressway noise. We have to shout."

 

She's put up a privacy fence, too, because people driving by "stretch their necks and look in back yards." But the fence doesn't block the noise.

 

http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060726/NEWS01/607260509/1002/RSS01

 

Hope they don't use up all of the median for this project, where else will they put the high speed rail??  :wink:

"Also slated for November is construction on a widening project on I-275 between state Route 4 and state Route 126. The project will widen that stretch of I-275 by one lane on both sides."

 

I believe the actual construction limits are Winton Rd and Route 42. I don't know where they got this information, unless the widening is going that far west.

Yeah i think the widening is from 42 to Winton road. I haven't heard of any widening to Cross county until this article.

"My yard goes back pretty far and all the trucks and cars run above my fence," she said. "I can't go out there and have company without the expressway noise. We have to shout."

 

So let me get this straight, public dollars are suppose to be used for your backyard because you were dumb enough to move next to an interstate?  HA

Installation of the railings has begun, I think the top bar is to be bronze

"My yard goes back pretty far and all the trucks and cars run above my fence," she said. "I can't go out there and have company without the expressway noise. We have to shout."

 

So let me get this straight, public dollars are suppose to be used for your backyard because you were dumb enough to move next to an interstate?  HA

 

In her case, it looks like she's been in that house since 1970 (here's a link to what I assume is her property - not sure how long the link will be good, but you can check 11735 Elkwood Drive).  But I doubt even that predates the highway construction - according to Jake's site, construction began in 1958, and finished in 1979, with some of the last work the hilly sections in KY and the bridge over the Ohio between KY and IN.

 

Regardless, the point hold for most folks who buy places next to interstates, then seem surprised by the noise...

 

The south side of the bridge is really shaping up as the railing and sidewalk are finished.

I had a magazine on my desk for a few months with a picture of this bridge on the cover.  Below is an excerpt and a link to the online version. They say the center pier had to be removed for safety reasons, but that rings false to me.

 

http://www.revitalizationonline.com/article.asp?id=195

 

As part of the project scope, approximately one half- mile of Paddock Road was widened to five lanes and eight lanes over I-75, and the entire interchange was reconstructed. The design included a new storm sewer system; reconstruction of Seymour Avenue and Summit Road; lighting plans; signing and pavement markings; right-of-way plans; maintenance of traffic plans for Paddock Road and I-75; modification of the ARTIMIS System; vandal screening; and a single- span, eight-lane composite arched plate girder bridge across I-75.

 

Included in the planning process was compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Original NEPA conformity was accomplished as early as 1980. Revisions were completed in 1990, and several alternatives were analyzed and completed in 1995. Once conformity was assured, KZF moved ahead on design.

 

As with any revitalization project, there were a number of hurdles to overcome. First, there was a long gestation and implementation period for the bridge study, design, and construction because of longer partner coordination times and lack of funding. In fact, during the process, several ODOT and FHWA standards were updated. Every time this occurred, the design needed to be revisited. More positively, because the project was an ODOT priority project, it received funding quickly.

 

Second, the original bridge was supported by a pier in the center. Because I-75 was to be widened by a lane on each side, it was necessary to remove the center pier. Therefore, it was recommended that the bridge be redesigned as a single- span bridge. This added two complexities: to eliminate the center pier and meet required vertical clearance over I-75, the profile of the Paddock Road Bridge was raised by three feet; and the outside bridge beams were to have an arc shape, to look like a gateway. Solving this created yet more hurdles —: iIt drove up construction cost and added the issue of I-75 traffic maintenance during construction. The resolution was to build one half of the bridge, and then the other.

 

Third, the span of the bridge was not long enough to justify unusual design, and there weren't enough funds to design a structurally innovative bridge to serve as a ceremonial gateway bridge. Instead, a more typical structural design was employed to optimize economy of the basic span. The bridge was then enhanced with custom elements that were both visual (establishing the celebratory gateway) and functional (fulfilling lighting, vandal screening, and guardrail requirements).

 

Fourth, when it came to the bridge's urban design elements, a lot of the extra detail was planned to have longevity, and so both aesthetics and ease of maintenance were kept in mind. Designing the decorative elements took a lot of time. It was accomplished while making sure the design adhered to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) transportation standards. AASHTO, a non-profit organization, has a primary goal of fostering the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system.

 

Specific design elements include precast concrete towers; high-quality finish specs for precast concrete panels; specially-designed ornamental railing that serves as vandal screenings and adds class to ODOT's typical design; small decorative lights that face inward to give attention to the driving experience on Paddock Road; and good landscaping, especially because the area around the bridge is large and it was important for the landscaping to contribute to the visual experience. In addition, a special design was used to accommodate conduits and wiring for the lighted letters in the towers that spell "Cincinnati." This was coordinated with the city to make sure the lighting didn''t call for specialized lamps that would be difficult to stock and maintain.

The south portion could open on September 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its nice to see their attention to detail on the architectual elements of the bridge :clap:

Excellent.

 

I noticed that with the Montgomery Rd. construction, the third lane over I-275 at I-71 has been paved and opened. I assume the ramp coming from I-71 north to I-275 east will be a exit only lane to Montgomery Rd. after construction is over.

From the 9/6/06 Tri-County Press:

 

 

RAMPING TO IMPROVEMENTS

 

SHARONVILLE -- Ramps to Interstate 275 on Mosteller Road in Sharonville are scheduled to be widened.

 

The widening includes both westbound ramps and eastbound ramps as well as Kemper and Mosteller roads.

 

Two existing traffic signals are also scheduled to be replaced and a new signal is to be installed at the eastbound ramp intersection with Mosteller Road.

 

The total cost of the project is $5.5 million. Sharonville will pay $320,430 of that cost.

 

The project, which is being controlled by the Ohio Department of Transportation, will be bid in October or November with bids being awarded in January, according to Sharonville Public Safety Director Al Ledbetter.

 

The project is being tied together with I-275 improvements spanning from Winton Road to state Route 42, according to Ledbetter.

 

http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060906/NEWS01/609060727/1089/Local

 

Four of the medallions have been installed, an odd attempt at scuplture, I suppose. The COS board will most likely pick them up, I can't see them not.

 

This is a famous image from the 1913 flood, when the old truss bridge collapsed. I wish I could find a copy to post.

 

 

 

The south section of the west/Rossville overlook decks, yet to be completed

 

Another view, one can make out where stairs will be installed

 

 

Painting has begun

 

I wasn't sure if they planned on lighting the bridge arches or not, but if appears they will!

I hope this isn't expensive to keep up....moreso that they don't burn out and go unchanged for years on end.

 

I'm guessing this is somekind of tube lighting?

that's one nice looking bridge.  wonder how they got all the "extras"

Looks like construction has started.  Going west there is new pavement on the shoulder and two outside lanes, inside lane is coned off. I would guess the median would be taken out to form a single barrier and bridge replacement.  I wish they would fix the 75/275 interchange, it needs work.

These retards who buy houses right next to highways/railroads/airports/college kids and then complain about the noise -- in the case of 275 the highway predated virtually every structure that can be seen from it.

 

Lol

Looks like construction has started.  Going west there is new pavement on the shoulder and two outside lanes, inside lane is coned off. I would guess the median would be taken out to form a single barrier and bridge replacement.  I wish they would fix the 75/275 interchange, it needs work.

I checked the ODOT site just a few days ago. It's going to be replaced with flyovers starting in 2012.

I think it's happening now. What a horrible past 3 weeks on the expressways.