On 2/28/2024 at 11:35 AM, Chas Wiederhold said:

Yes, the turn is tight, but those (Northsiders) exiting to Beekman/Colerain will do so from I-75 now, I believe; still using the tight curve. The flying $90 million dollar ramp will be for those exiting the highway to Montana/West Fork. This gets rid of a condition where folks going from N I-75 to I-74 to Beekman/Colerain will not have to cross traffic with folks going from S I-75 to I-74 going to points beyond Beekman/Colerain and vice versa.

 

I reached out to ODOT and got clarification on this. The representative admitted they don't have a great document for viewing the design (SMDH) of this interchange but provided this: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/52dpcqvfnj35wqew38sx7/74-Noisewall.pdf?rlkey=mdzmqlc2g0xr8dh9o4uvfgch4&dl=0

• The existing ramp will be removed (scheduled for some time between April and June of this year).
• To access Beekman from SB I-75, you will take the new "Ramp O". After crossing over Ramp S (which will carry Beekman-bound traffic from NB I-75), Ramp O will have a fork where traffic will either exit left to join WB I-74 or exit right to join with Ramp S for Beekman St. 

She also told me that Phase 8 (widening between SR 562 and SR 126) is now "on hold". Not sure why or what that means. 

 

Here's a diagram showing how I think it will work with traffic from SB 75 shown in orange and traffic from NB 75 shown in blue:

10 hours ago, taestell said:

 

That is surprising to me, I thought the whole point was to eliminate that sharp turn. (The railroad bridge that the old ramp goes under wasn't even built as part of I-75 or I-74, it was the old bridge over Colerain Avenue and the new highway ramp was shoehorned into that opening.)

 

I can't find a recent plan on ODOT's website but here is an older version that I had saved. Obviously the plan has changed since then, as the new ramp doesn't have the split in the middle.

 

 

Now that it's opened, I think the graphic you are showing is correct. I wrongly assumed that it was staying because there is still this unopened portion that *would* allow the tight turn traffic to slip underneath the flying ramp, but I now belive that that is for the northbound I-75 traffic turning on to I-74. Anyways... tangle, boondoggle, and exceptional views of Northside and the surrounding hills.

7 hours ago, jwulsin said:

Here's a diagram showing how I think it will work with traffic from SB 75 shown in orange and traffic from NB 75 shown in blue:

 

 

Yeah, traffic from I-74 W exiting to Colerain Ave. will travel through the weird "stonehenge" support pier that was built last year. 

 

 

7 hours ago, jwulsin said:

She also told me that Phase 8 (widening between SR 562 and SR 126) is now "on hold". Not sure why or what that means.

 

 

I have to wonder if ODOT went to war over the left-side Galbraith Rd. ramp that they were forced to pencil back into the plans.

 

There is no way to build a right-side ramp in that area without spending a)massive money b)breaking a rule as egregious as a left-side ramp c)both a and b.   

 

 

 

 

Left-side ramps still aren't 100% off the table in Ohio unlike other states.

ODOT also decided relatively recently to eliminate the Lockland Split and put both northbound and southbound lanes back in the original alignment (where the southbound lanes are today). So that may have had an impact on the OH-162 interchange and Galbraith Road interchanges. They may even be able to do a more traditional diamond interchange at Galbraith now.

On 3/4/2024 at 9:49 AM, taestell said:

The project will open up 700 acres for commercial development and “alleviate congestion,” according to the application. It has the backing of both the Butler and Warren county commissions.

 

Most studies have shown that highway and road expansions do not reduce congestion and instead create more usage by drivers, a concept known in the transportation industry as “induced demand.” When a roadway is expanded without tolling, people flock to use it almost immediately, erasing any reductions in congestion.

Lolol I love this shade Wetterich is throwing here.

1 hour ago, taestell said:

ODOT also decided relatively recently to eliminate the Lockland Split and put both northbound and southbound lanes back in the original alignment (where the southbound lanes are today).

 

Really?! Where are details on this? That seems like a big deal that would require a lot of property swaps. Would the NB lanes be "sunk" like the SB lanes are currently? 

1 hour ago, taestell said:

ODOT also decided relatively recently to eliminate the Lockland Split and put both northbound and southbound lanes back in the original alignment (where the southbound lanes are today). So that may have had an impact on the OH-162 interchange and Galbraith Road interchanges. They may even be able to do a more traditional diamond interchange at Galbraith now.

 

The vacated northbound viaduct could become Cincinnati's highline.  Except Margy Waller would oppose on grounds that it will motivate the gentrification of Arlington Heights. 

 

 

11 minutes ago, jwulsin said:

Really?! Where are details on this? That seems like a big deal that would require a lot of property swaps. Would the NB lanes be "sunk" like the SB lanes are currently? 

 

From this ODOT document:

 

During Phase 6 project development, ODOT determined the current plan would require sunstantial impacts to construct the northbound IR 75 improvements. This included relocation of overhead electric transmission lines, total take of several properties, bridge impacts, and a construction duration of six years. ODOT District 8 staff, with the help of ODOT Office of Roadway Engineering developed five new concepts that could provide equal or better connectivity with potentially fewer impacts. These were evaluated in the Thru-The-Valley Alternative Feasibility Study Report dated July 8, 2020 and summarized below.

 

Alternative 1: Unify the northbound and southbound IR 75 travel lanes by widening east of the existing southbound split alignment. Add one additional travel lane in each direction. Construct ramps along relocated northbound IR 75 to provide access from eastbound and westbound SR 126, and to and from Galbraith Road. Construct southbound IR 75 ramp access as planned in Phase 5.

 

Alternative 1A: New alternative 1 with additional northbound IR 75 interstate access at Lock Street (exit ramp from northbound IR 75) and Wyoming Avenue (entrance ramp to northbound IR 75).

 

Alternative 1B: New alternative 1 and 1A with additional southbound entrance and exit ramps at Lock Street and Wyoming Avenue.

 

Alternative 2: Add a single or double northbound express lane adjacent to the existing southbound IR 75 split alignment. Repair and maintain the existing three-lane northbound split section.

 

Alternative 3: Current design of Phases 3 through 6 modified by relocating a portion of Mill Creek. This would avoid relocation of some transmission towers, and thus eliminate some total property takes. Relocation of Mill Creek would also eliminate two high skew bridges currently proposed as part of Phase 6.

 

The feasibility study determined that any of these alternatives would save sunstantial construction costs, and ultimately recommended further study of Alternative 1. Alternatives 1A and 1B included new access points for Lock Street and Wyoming Avenue that were not part of the original Preferred Alternative and approved NEPA document. These were dismissed after the Village of Lockland expressed concern that interchanges at this location would not be in the best interest of their community. Alternative 2 was dismissed because it only delays many of the concerns present with Phase 6. Alternative 3 was dismissed due to environmental impacts associated with the relocation of Mill Creek.

 

1 hour ago, Lazarus said:

The vacated northbound viaduct could become Cincinnati's highline.  Except Margy Waller would oppose on grounds that it will motivate the gentrification of Arlington Heights. 

Back when ODOT was taking comments on this 'unification' plan, I, and it seemed like many others, made known that the NB ROW needs to be turned into a greenway and trail.

 

Based on Tri-State Trail's State of the Union meeting last month, it seems that they are also aware and pushing for this.  All the hundreds of millions they're saving unifying the highways, a little should be spent at least building a bike trail in its wake.

Edited March 5, 20241 yr by 10albersa

It's actually a similar length and has more of the potential to be like the Atlanta Beltline between North Ave and Edgewood Ave. If you built up a big development similar to Ponce City Market on the north end and another big development where it meets Galbraith it would be a similar size and could be really cool if it tied in better with the Mill Creek along there as well.

 

The problem of course is that the Atlanta Beltline is a mile from downtown Atlanta and located in their city limits, while this site is over 8 miles from out downtown and located in two different cities, neither of which are Cincinnati. 

From Tri-State Trail's meeting back in January:

 

Regional Planning Commission Meeting
Thursday, September 7, 2023, @ 12:30 PM
Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program Overview

 

Quote

Application Overview and Deliverables
The First Suburbs Consortium of Southwest Ohio (FSC-SWO), in conjunction with the Hamilton County Transportation Improvement District (HCTID), plan to apply for a Planning Grant with the ultimate aim of funding a regional study centered on 6 jurisdictions in central Hamilton County: Arlington Heights, Lockland, Reading, Lincoln Heights, Evendale, and Sharonville. The presence of Interstate 75, as well as 3 distinct railways passing through the region, has created significant issues related to emergency service dispatches, school attendance in the affected communities, and difficulties in attracting outside economic investment in areas impacted by these facilities. A completed regional study will identify issues that arise from the presence of Interstate 75 and 3 distinct railways that pass through the region, produce solutions that address the identified issues, and provide a cost-benefit analysis of the alternatives. 

 

In general, I'm all for shrinking the footprint of highways. But in the case of the Lockland split, I'm not super convinced that moving the northbound segment to be adjacent to the southbound segment will have major benefits. It seems like it would make things slightly worse on the west side (since the highway would be widened) and only slightly better on the east side. Perhaps I'm missing some major benefit, but it strikes me as probably not a great use of money.

Edited March 7, 20241 yr by jwulsin

55 minutes ago, jwulsin said:

In general, I'm all for shrinking the footprint of highways. But in the case of the Lockland split, I'm not super convinced that moving the northbound segment to be adjacent to the southbound segment will have major benefits. It seems like it would make things slightly worse on the west side of Lockland (since the highway would be widened) and only slightly better on the east side. Perhaps I'm missing some major benefit, but it strikes me as probably not a great use of money.

Oh, I'm not happy they're unifying the highway.  I made that clear in my comments in the public feedback on this phase, but the reason they have to do it is because Duke would have to move some high-voltage transmission lines at a ridiculous cost of $100M if they kept the NB split.  Here's the map they provided on unification.

 

I marked it up with the most likely alignment of the MCG trail.  Blue would be at-grade.  Purple could be re-use of the flyover, but not even a 1/4 mile later, it'll need to quickly tail over to the eastern side of the Mill Creek to tie into the (Orange) existing trail. So you're really only using not even half of the existing flyover infrastructure, because the other half dumps you off into a wasteland of industry.

 

You could maybe make an argument for using the entire flyover IF, and only if, "The Locks" development ends up being a residential mixed-use complex instead of the current pitch as 2-4 industrial plots with train access. In this case, you could use the "high-line" trail as bike access to "The Locks" and a revitalized Mill/Dunn business district in Lockland.

 

Edited March 7, 20241 yr by 10albersa

On 3/7/2024 at 2:46 PM, 10albersa said:

I marked it up with the most likely alignment of the MCG trail.  Blue would be at-grade.  Purple could be re-use of the flyover, but not even a 1/4 mile later, it'll need to quickly tail over to the eastern side of the Mill Creek to tie into the (Orange) existing trail. So you're really only using not even half of the existing flyover infrastructure, because the other half dumps you off into a wasteland of industry.

 

You could maybe make an argument for using the entire flyover IF, and only if, "The Locks" development ends up being a residential mixed-use complex instead of the current pitch as 2-4 industrial plots with train access. In this case, you could use the "high-line" trail as bike access to "The Locks" and a revitalized Mill/Dunn business district in Lockland.

Why would this be bad? I would think it would be best to get rid of the flyover altogether, not convert it. That would make the MCG be more accessible to people who live in Lockland, Reading and Arlington Heights. Right now, the only ADA access points in this section would probably be Galbraith, Davis and just short of the new combined 75. ODOT is going to give it all over to the local municipalities, or Great Parks, so having to maintain that large flyover would be a very large long-term expense. I think it would be better for it to land at Wyoming Avenue. Then it could go along Wyoming east and west to hit both Reading and Lockland's historic business districts.

 

In any case, I think it's way too early to be making any assumptions about the route. Hamilton County did win the Federal planning grant, which also specifically called out NSR for blocking roads through this section. There's going to be a lot of analysis to come over several alternatives.

Following up on this, Tri-State Trails released their feasibility study on the "Triangle Trail" through north-central Hamilton County, including using I75NB as the route through Lockland and Reading as we discussed above.  It would be at ground level.   LINK

 

Here's the specific section we we're talking about earlier. LINK

 

On a different note, I don't know how you get a bike route through the Lockland business district.  There's so many instances where cars just stop and park to talk to people in the middle of the street, and there's almost always something or someone blocking the road when I drive on it.  I'd prefer the Wayne Ave route, I bike on it all the time.  It's a wide open street that does not see many cars (at least when I bike). 

 

...and all the long-time residents can complain about the traffic and reminisce about how nice everything used to be before all the development... 

 

THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

A new Interstate 75 interchange will open up 700 acres of land for commercial development, further connecting Cincinnati and Dayton

expand

Liberty Township officials view the 700 acres around the planned Millikin Way interchange as land that can be used to attract businesses.

 

By Brian Planalp – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

Jun 26, 2024

 

Editor's note: The following story is part of a special publication, Growth in the Middle, examining the burgeoning corridor between Cincinnati and Dayton. Further coverage is available in the June 28 print edition. You can also find additional story links at the bottom of this article.

 

Chances are you’ll miss the Millikin Road overpass on Interstate 75, even if you’re looking for it. Far more captivating is the untrammeled greenery out either window, among the last open pastures visible from the expressway between Cincinnati and Dayton, once endless farmland.

 

Now two-lane Millikin Road is in the crosshairs. Whatever the chances you miss it today, you’ll have no such luck in a decade. By then, provided things fall into place, a new I-75 interchange will have opened more than 700 acres of land to developers, and Liberty Township’s wish of creating an economic engine from scratch will be well on its way to fulfillment.

 

“This is the future,” said Joe Hinson, president and CEO of the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance. “As a new downtown for Liberty Township, it really becomes the catalyst that can bring Cincinnati and Dayton together.”

 

MORE

"I don't get it. All I want is to live in the country but not have to work the country jobs. Then all these people move in and it's not the country anymore."

Next phase of major I-75 overhaul begins as Norwood Lateral reopening delayed

 

The Norwood Lateral may not fully reopen until Sept. 20 because of weather and construction-related delays, with the Ohio Department of Transportation starting construction on the next major phase of its Interstate 75 reconstruction project.

 

The project, the Mill Creek Expressway reconstruction, will start in September. It calls for the replacement of three railroad bridges located over Prosser Avenue, I-75 and the Norwood Lateral, also known as state Route 562. The 14-phase Mill Creek Expressway project is a series of initiatives to widen the highway and resurface it between the Western Hills Viaduct and Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway, also known as state Route 126.

 

One direction of the lateral has been closed since the spring for a $21.4 million project as contractors rehabilitate bridges over it. It was supposed to fully reopen by the end of August, but the westbound lanes, which crews have been working on since June, have continued to be closed. The reasons include excessive heat delaying nighttime concrete pours and unanticipated additional design and construction work needed to fix structural steel issues on the Ross Avenue bridge.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2024/09/13/odot-i-75-mill-creek-construction-norwood-lateral.html

 

The new over head ramp meters will activate in stop and go mode Tuesday Oct 8th. Located at the Sharon rd entrance ramps.