The Lockland and Arlington Heights projects are stimulus money projects for the most part. I believe the bridge is that wide in order to maintain 3 (skinny) lanes of traffic with no shoulders. So 2 sets of 3 lanes = 4 travel lanes with 2 shoulders. No doubt this will play into the future widening of 75.

If anyone has driven on Interstate 75 southbound at Lockland lately, the bridge over the creek (IIRC, Winton Creek) is being reconstructed. The new span is being constructed to handle four-lanes with two full shoulders.

I think that's E. Fork of the Mill Creek. From what I seen it has enough width for 4 12' lanes, a 15' right side shoulder and a 10'-0" left side shoulder.

 

The Lockland and Arlington Heights projects are stimulus money projects for the most part. I believe the bridge is that wide in order to maintain 3 (skinny) lanes of traffic with no shoulders. So 2 sets of 3 lanes = 4 travel lanes with 2 shoulders. No doubt this will play into the future widening of 75.

The stimulus money is for resurfacing the pavement and minor deck resurfacing of the bridges in the split, a "band aid",

The question is will they have to tear down the new bridge at Paddock rd? I saw that they didn't tear down Tylersville road bridge to put in 4 lanes. They just shortend the shoulders to fit 4 lanes through there.

^^Thanks for that. The property manager of the abandoned Stearns & Foster factory told me that their factory is on the block for demolition "within a few years," which would make sense considering that the highway will be expanding to the east -- taking over E. Forrer Street and the industrial complex. It would put it in alignment with the newly reconstructed span.

 

Speaking of, how old was that bridge? I've walked underneath it several times but could not find a date stamp. From the square pillars and a design that isn't similar to any of the modern interstate overpasses from the late 1950s and 1960s, I think it actually dates to the original construction of the US 25 Defense Highway project.

 

^ No, eight-lanes of traffic can fit under the bridge but there will be no shoulders for that short duration.

The substructure (piers and abutments) probably dated back to the original construction (1943); and it probably was re decked when they made it one way SB. The current project is replacing the whole thing

Urban Design Associates to create vision that will revive Cincinnati's I-75 corridor

http://www.soapboxmedia.com/devnews/1027revivei75.aspx

By Randy A. Simes | Soapbox Cincinnati, October 27, 2009

 

Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates (UDA) is known nationally for their New Urbanist designs and locally for their work on Cincinnati's Riverfront Master Plan, including Fort Washington Way, Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the massive Banks development project now under construction.

 

Now the firm is just getting started on what could be the next biggest challenge for Cincinnati as the city attempts to reconnect its neighborhoods with a redesign of Interstate 75 - the same project that initially ripped them apart decades ago.

 

The Revive I-75 Corridor Study is something that offers an equally great opportunity for Cincinnati according to Urban Design Associates principal Paul Ostergaard.

 

"Cincinnati will be able to leverage this huge investment in public infrastructure to create new neighborhood investment," he said. "Property values are hugely impacted by access, and the previous interchanges in these locations may not have provided the access they should have."

 

UDA will be tasked with managing the goals of several organizations simultaneously including the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Cincinnati Municipal Sewer District (MSD), and a variety of City departments and neighborhood groups.

 

"The Riverfront Master Plan was a great project," said Ostergaard, who stressed that the complexity of the Revive I-75 Corridor Study is nothing new for their project team. The importance he says is in the planning process.

 

"We've worked in many cities for municipalities and development authorities, and we always engage the community in the planning process," he said. "The first step is to meet as many people and discuss the issues - that's when we really learn about the project areas."

 

The Revive I-75 Corridor Study will be looking at four study areas within the city of Cincinnati:

1. [*]Mitchell Avenue Interchange;

[*]Interstate 74 Interchange;

[*]Hopple Street Interchange;

[*]Queensgate/Central Business District.

 

In order to gain the necessary information about these four study areas, UDA will be hosting a public meeting on November 12th at Cincinnati State to discuss the project and generate feedback from the community.

 

At the meeting the UDA project team will attempt to ascertain what the community believes are the greatest strengths, problems and weaknesses for the given study areas while also finding out what the vision is for the area. "We work with the communities to make sure the improvements mesh with the neighborhood's plans," said Ostergaard.

 

The public meeting on November 12th will take place at Cincinnati State from 6pm to 8pm inside the Advanced Technology & Learning Center Auditorium (2nd floor).

^ That's pretty cool. UDA is a pretty big deal. My old company in Florida is an excellent firm, and we took UDA washouts. Yes. They wash people out after a trial period.

I-75 should add HOT lanes to the project.  It pays for it's self.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-20-high-occupancy-toll-lanes_N.htm

^Their is not a doubt in my mind that HOT/HOV lanes and/or tolling roads are all on Ohio's horizon.  In the next few years, they will have no choice.  With more efficient cars and less people driving, the state will be forced to consider this as an option for paying for the many miles of road that we have.  Unless that is, they raise the gas tax!  *gasp*

Evidently I-75 through Cincinnati represents the worst commute in Ohio, and one of the worst in the Midwest: http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/01/cincinnatis-i-75-is-worst-commute-in.html.

What kind of vision exactly is UDA in charge of creating? Traffic management? Aesthetics? Surrounding land use zoning?

 

UDA is tasked with coming up with a vision for the designated locations in their study area.  To answer your question it is more about the aesthetics and surrounding land use as influenced by the residents and stakeholders there.

 

The best comparison I can give is UDA's work on the Riverfront Master Plan back in the 90's that laid the ground work for The Banks development we're seeing today.  It wasn't a specific development or infrastructure plan, but rather a vision to work from.

Cincinnati receives $712k to reconfigure Galbraith Rd Interchange

By Randy A. Simes, UrbanCincy | February 23, 2010

http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/02/cincinnati-receives-712k-to-reconfigure.html

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $712,500 grant to Cincinnati for the design of a new exit ramp on Interstate 75 at the existing Galbraith Road interchange. The project is a small component of the much larger multi-billion dollar effort to improve safety and add capacity to one of the nation's worst stretches of highway for commuters.

 

The grant money will fund the elimination and replacement of the current left hand exit with a new right hand exit along northbound I-75. Project officials early on had suggested the elimination of the left hand Galbraith Road exit altogether without a potential replacement. This proposal was met with great opposition from nearby residents and business owners who rely on the interstate access.

 

“This project will make for an easier commute and improve safety on Interstate 75," said Representative Steve Driehaus (D-OH). "In addition, the funding will stimulate our local economy and create jobs."

Major changes seen for viaduct

By Barry M. Horstman • [email protected] • March 26, 2010

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20100326/NEWS01/3270339/

 

"I understand that traffic flow and safety features are important considerations in transportation planning, but I question putting automobile interests ahead of the vitality and well-being of established urban neighborhoods," Hillside Trust executive director Eric Russo said in a letter to Spinosa.

 

"It seems a bit old school to think you'd destroy a neighborhood to make a traffic pattern work," Walsh said. "It would disrupt a lot of things - things the city wants to see - that have taken a long time to grow here."

Okay so the Enquirer runs this story about the ramp reconfiguration yet includes no graphic or link to a graphic.  They are truly and completely retarded. 

And they mention that it would remove the intersection with McMillan and Central Parkway, yet none of the alternatives HERE show that.

 

Did I miss something?

That's the first I saw of that plan.  So they complain that left side exits are dangerous because people aren't used to them, to which I say maybe we need more of them, but then they're taking that strategy with traffic circles. 

 

I asked one of the planners why they don't just build straight diamond ramps to the upper deck of the viaduct just like any other overpass and he said he didn't think they had ever thought of that.  But the larger issue here is this is just a temporary situation until the new Western Hills Viaduct is built 10-20 years down the line, at which point they'll have to reconfigure whatever they do here.  In which case I say do things in a cheap temporary manor. 

I believe some of the earlier plans showed McMillan flying over Central Parkway and connecting directly to the viaduct.  There was then an access road that connected McMillan and Central Parkway.

 

 

... or I could be thinking of MLK at the Hopple Street Viaduct.  I always get those two interchanges confused.

I asked one of the planners why they don't just build straight diamond ramps to the upper deck of the viaduct just like any other overpass and he said he didn't think they had ever thought of that. But the larger issue here is this is just a temporary situation until the new Western Hills Viaduct is built 10-20 years down the line, at which point they'll have to reconfigure whatever they do here. In which case I say do things in a cheap temporary manor.

 

Is it set in stone that the viaduct is going to be replaced?  It would be a shame to lose it.  Of the three proposals linked by Neville, the single roundabout diamond and the SPUI look pretty tidy and low-impact.  Ideally, they could keep the great arch over Spring Grove Avenue, which would be that much better without the existing ramps to the lower deck on either side of it. 

 

    Went to an OKI meeting and someone brought up the point that you can't get from the Colerain Township area to the U.C. area easily without getting on I-75. The easiest way to get across the valley is on I-74, whether you come from North Bend, Montana, or Colerain. The trouble with I-74 is that you can't easily cross I-75 without getting on it. If you get off at Central Parkway, you have to go south and can't get to Ludlow. If you get off at Hopple, you have to make an awkward left turn and pass through one of the busiest intersections in Cincinnati at Hopple and Central Parkway. You can't get off at Harrison and turn left to get to MickMillan.

 

    If the U.C. area is Cincinnati's second largest employer after downtown, and Colerain township has 50,000+ people, I have to imagine that a significant number of Colerain folks are trying to get to the U.C. area, and many of them are contributing to the traffic at Hopple when they don't need to be.

 

    I counted that between downtown Cincinnati and the Butler County line, there are 36 roads that cross I-75 and 18 of them are interchanges. For east-west traffic in Cincinnati, I-75 might as well be a river with 36 bridges. The east-west traffic is contributing to all of the congestion at the interchanges, especially Hopple and Mitchell. Sometimes, as in the case of travelling from Colerain Township to U.C., the easiest way to cross I-75 is to actually get on the interstate.

 

    It is my opinion that a few more crossings would clear up some traffic at a better cost than adding lanes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  "Is it set in stone that the viaduct is going to be replaced?"

 

  No. I am not sure that we can afford to replace it if we wanted to.

Planners have vision for I-75 area as 'highway garden'

By Barry M. Horstman, Cincinnati Enquirer, April 8, 2010

 

The portion of Interstate 75 that slices through central Cincinnati has been called many things - especially by drivers trapped daily in rush-hour traffic - but "a linear highway garden" probably is not one of them.

 

Yet that's the lyrical description of choice among urban planners hoping to use the estimated $4 billion-plus to be spent on and around the interstate over roughly the next decade as a catalyst to revitalize Northside, South Cumminsville, Camp Washington and other neighborhoods stretching from Downtown to St. Bernard.

"Another overriding objective, Qualls and others say, is that mass transit must be included in the redesigned I-75, an imperative driven by the fact that the new stretch of interstate is expected to be at or over traffic capacity almost from the moment it is completed."

 

$4 billion to build a highway that will be obsolete the second it is completed

The cost for the Mill Creek Expressway reconstruction isn't $4 billion. It's just over $500 million. The Through the Valley project and the Brent Spence Bridge supplementary bridge and approach project tacked on isn't $4 billion either.

The full reconstruction of I-75 -- including the new Brent Spence Bridge, Mill Creek Expressway project, Thru the Valley project, and the eventual reconfiguration of the I-75/I-275 interchange -- will certainly be somewhere in the $3.5-$4 billion range.

Mill Creek Expressway STP 2011-2020 $532 million

Through the Valley** STP 2013-2015 $231 million

Brent Spence Bridge project* STP 2015-2019 $2 billion

 

*This includes not only the Brent Spence Bridge supplementary span, but 3.5 miles of mainline reconstruction and widening in Kentucky, and 2.4 miles of mainline reconstruction and relocation in Ohio. This involves construction of Interstate 75 through Queensgate and the removal of the interstate east of Queensgate and west of downtown, the reconstruction of US 50/OH 264's freeway in that vicinity, and the partial reconfiguration of ramps at Fort Washington Way.

**This has partially begun with the replacement of an aging and structurally deficient span over Mill Creek West Fork, with a four-lane structure with two full shoulders. No other work is programmed to begin until 2013.

 

A billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money.

Mill Creek Expressway STP 2011-2020 $532 million

Through the Valley** STP 2013-2015 $231 million

Brent Spence Bridge project* STP 2015-2019 $2 billion

 

*This includes not only the Brent Spence Bridge supplementary span, but 3.5 miles of mainline reconstruction and widening in Kentucky, and 2.4 miles of mainline reconstruction and relocation in Ohio. This involves construction of Interstate 75 through Queensgate and the removal of the interstate east of Queensgate and west of downtown, the reconstruction of US 50/OH 264's freeway in that vicinity, and the partial reconfiguration of ramps at Fort Washington Way.

**This has partially begun with the replacement of an aging and structurally deficient span over Mill Creek West Fork, with a four-lane structure with two full shoulders. No other work is programmed to begin until 2013.

 

 

These three projects will be in progress for the next decade. Who's to say that our economy won't make a full recovery during that time, causing the cost of materials and labor to rise quite significantly?

Well, Brad was equating the Mill Creek Expressway project as costing $4 billion in total, but it is nowhere near that.

 

When projects are put to bid, costs are typically locked. Construction can begin a year after the bid, for instance, and the project cost can remain the same. This is unlike with what happened to the Ohio River Bridges Project in Louisville, where a tunnel was added to the project, then a second Kennedy Span, followed by other design changes that boosted the cost from <$1 billion to $4 billion in just a decade. Of course, Hurricane Katrina was one of the biggest contributors to the construction material spike, which is unlikely to happen again unless there is another catastrophe that requires major city infrastructure rebuilding.

 

Materials is never held constant, but it is worth noting that material costs have dropped dramatically from their post-Katrina highs to near-normal levels. Labor costs remain relatively the same and aren't a major factor that can significantly boost a project's cost.

Mill Creek Expressway STP 2011-2020 $532 million

Through the Valley** STP 2013-2015 $231 million

Brent Spence Bridge project* STP 2015-2019 $2 billion

 

*This includes not only the Brent Spence Bridge supplementary span, but 3.5 miles of mainline reconstruction and widening in Kentucky, and 2.4 miles of mainline reconstruction and relocation in Ohio. This involves construction of Interstate 75 through Queensgate and the removal of the interstate east of Queensgate and west of downtown, the reconstruction of US 50/OH 264's freeway in that vicinity, and the partial reconfiguration of ramps at Fort Washington Way.

**This has partially begun with the replacement of an aging and structurally deficient span over Mill Creek West Fork, with a four-lane structure with two full shoulders. No other work is programmed to begin until 2013.

 

Add up how much it would be from lost productivity if none of this is done.

Add up how much it would be from lost productivity is none of this is done.

 

Compare the return-on-investment for this project and a regional light rail system.  For Sherman's estimate of $2.8 billion dollars, we could build a few pretty awesome light rail lines that would have a significantly higher return on our investment.

^ Agreed. If the $4B figure is to be taken at face value, that would build at least a third of my Metro Cincinnati plan.

I don't think anyone is arguing the delays involved will cost time (and money). It's like that with any construction project. But the project's cost still isn't $4 billion any way that it's cut. :P

The draft plan for Revive 75 was presented last week.  Unfortunately I don't have a link. (We have it hear at UC though!).  There is a interesting plan alternative suggesting the realignment of I-75's approach to the new bridge.  Basically, it will save Longworth Hall and increase the CBD by 1/3rd!  Pretty neat if we can get the political will to pull it off!

The draft plan for Revive 75 was presented last week. Unfortunately I don't have a link. (We have it hear at UC though!). There is a interesting plan alternative suggesting the realignment of I-75's approach to the new bridge. Basically, it will save Longworth Hall and increase the CBD by 1/3rd! Pretty neat if we can get the political will to pull it off!

 

I thought that was one of the early alternatives that was scrapped for having "too much impact on Queensgate."  Heaven forbid, we can't upset a suburban office park neighborhood to significantly increase the size of the downtown core! 

....When projects are put to bid, costs are typically locked. Construction can begin a year after the bid, for instance, and the project cost can remain the same. .....

 

FYI, current ODOT bids include price adjustments for fuel, steel and asphalt binders

So the prices can go up (and down) post award.

 

For example, steel price adjustment:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/ConstructionMgt/Specification%20Files/PN525_04162010%20for%202010.pdf

 

^ In the draft report, that alternative was the last alternative listed so it makes sense that it is just a conceptual piece.  It is disappointing that this alternative was not pursued more thoroughly since I believe added CBD space probably will generate more income and restore more residential neighborhood fabric to downtown than maintaining the current development pattern.  Additionally, it looks like that alternative cuts through the Hudepohl Brewery which would be opposed by preservationists. 

This will need hot lanes badly. I would have gladly payed today.

 

  What's going on at I-75 near Mitchel? Trees are being cleared on both sides of the highway. Is this in preparation for a widening project?

Yes, the next phase includes widening of I-75 between I-74 and Mitchell Avenue, and the reconstruction of the Mitchell Avenue interchange into a tight urban diamond.

I just noticed it today as well. a shame they have to take out the hill side. So much more room on the other side.

Yes, the next phase includes widening of I-75 between I-74 and Mitchell Avenue, and the reconstruction of the Mitchell Avenue interchange into a tight urban diamond.

Im not sure why they didn't pick a SPUI for this location. I heard it take up less room.

When SPUIs are over the highway, they require a huge bridge and usually vertical retaining walls for the ramps (think the OH-63 Monroe exit on I-75).  When it's under the highway like at Mitchell, I don't think that's as big of a problem, but they'd have to rebuild the whole highway overpass above without any columns in the middle, and I figure that isn't justified or even feasible in this case.  Apparently with a "tight urban diamond" configuration, the close spacing of the ramps and some creative signal phasing allows it to function more like a single intersection, since most of the left turn queueing happens outside the ramps rather than in between them.  That's a big improvement over a more typical "wide" diamond like is there now.  It's not as good as a SPUI, but it seems like there's a better bang for the buck.  Here's a paper that compares the two, though I haven't read through it yet:  http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/TRB_82/TRB2003-000611.pdf

 

  Wow, I guess that finally got started. I remember when they were doing planning work for that back in the 1990's.

 

  By the way, a SPUI was considered for that interchange. One of the drawbacks of a SPUI is that it does not offer much relief in the event of an accident. A single fender-bender in the middle of the intersection can tie up the whole interchange, and even back traffic up on I-75. Considering that Mitchel already carries a lot of traffic, the interchange is perhaps the most congested spot in the whole local highway system except for perhaps the Brent Spence Bridge, and since the geometry wasn't too favorable, it was probably a wise decision not to use the SPUI.

 

    I'm a bit disappointed that we are still spending so much on highways. Part of the problem is that Mitchel carries so much local traffic anyway, and there are not any good alternate routes. Interstates are like rivers; you can only cross at the bridges. There are no good crossings in the vicinity of Mitchell; Ludlow Viaduct has a bottleneck at Knowlton's Corner, Clifton is very steep, and Vine is pretty far away. The only way to cross I-75 is at Mitchel. I have wondered what a second crossing of I-75 would do for traffic ON I-75, since the Mitchel traffic affects the interstate.

 

 

Same here. As a cyclist that uses Mitchell, it's absolutely horrid.

 

Prep work also begins on the rebuild of the I-74 interchange too - a much needed redesign...

They should use the inside shoulder for a temporary extra lane on I-71 in preparation for this project. All that traffic has to go somewhere.

The inside shoulder isn't wide enough until you get north of Kenwood Road, that's why buses don't use it until they get that far out.  There's also the left entrance ramps at the Norwood Lateral interchange, with no left shoulder to speak of through part of that area.  I suppose they could narrow all the lanes a little bit, but then that messes up the already bad pavement and starts a whole other construction mess. 

Inre Mitchell SPUI. For a SPUI to work properly, some amount of Access control (e.g. close driveways) will be required a distance from the interchange. They probably could not achieve that on the east approach of Mitchell.

^ That interchange and the associated chunk of I-75 will cost $53.6 million.  Although, when it's all said and done it the exit ramps will all be pulled much closer to the freeway and free up some real estate.

 

Here's the latest plan for that section: http://www.i75millcreekexpressway.com/images/pdfs/Public%20Hearing/Public%20maps/Middle%20North%20Board.pdf

It's not a bad project - the roadway is using the existing right-of-way, the Mitchell Avenue interchange is being squeezed for greater efficiency, and the acceleration lanes are being lengthened. IMO, the acceleration/deceleration lanes just need to be continuous lanes until the next interchange to eliminate or at least eliminate much of the rush hour backup.

 

The two lane acceleration ramps will greatly help out with vehicles that cannot get up to speed on those grades.

 

I do not see a bike lane though. Granted that Mitchell does not have any bike provisions now - but Mitchell between Vine and North Avondale could feature a bike climbing lane eastbound on the repaving project later this year. It's not a heavy bike route between Spring Grove and Vine because of the traffic, but that could change!