Does the new lane exist yet, or is it like the area around Mitchell Avenue where there are extremely wide shoulders where the new lane will be created later?

Does the new lane exist yet, or is it like the area around Mitchell Avenue where there are extremely wide shoulders where the new lane will be created later?

 

I didn't notice because I didn't expect it to be open.

Is it adding just one additional lane onto I-75? I've lived here since beginning of 2013 so it's always been under construction, but with the massive overpasses, etc. it is starting to look like a big city freeway. Not that I think Cincy isn't a big city, just seems like something you would see in Atlanta coming in or something.  The MLK interchange is starting to have that type of effect too a bit

When all is said and done. It will be one lane additional from the bridge to through I-275 on the north side. From the Bridge to I-74 it will be 5 lanes each direction with an additional auxiliary between exits. I-75 north of I-74 will be 4 through lanes with Auxiliary lanes between exits.  I-75-I-71  south is where the monsterous lanes are going to be. Something like 7 lanes each direction to Kyles. 5 lanes each direction to I-275 on the south side.

As of this week it appears that I-75 from the viaduct north to I-74 is finished.  Zero orange barrels.  I drove it this morning north from Bank St.  The divide to I-74 has been moved maybe 1/2 mile south from its previous "last-minute" location.  It was like riding a magic carpet compared to what we've been putting up with for the past 4 years. 

 

Per the official website: "Phase 6" was wrapped up in November 2016 but work on I-75 from the Western Hills Viaduct to the Monmouth overpass will not be wrapped up until July 2017.

I went out of my way to get on at Hopple and go to both I-74 and I-75 a few times over the past week.  It's an incredible improvement.  It really weakens the argument for widening this road since it's obvious that so many of the congestion issues were caused by the less-than-ideal ramp configurations. 

The weaving issues alone were a great source of congestion, as was traffic having to handle the left exits. It's interesting to see how they have made use of the entire right-of-way, minimizing any disruption to the surrounding community (versus when the road was originally built).

The next major phase of the Mill Creek Expressway project is the interchange between I-75 and I-74. Work is expected to begin in February 2017 and be finished by August 2020. I just noticed that traffic heading south on I-75 will now need to choose between two ramps. One will enter the highway on the right side and take them directly to the Beekman/Colerain interchange. The other one will dump them out in the left lane onto I-74 West.

 

 

For those keeping score at home, the cost of this one interchange is expected to be $161 million, which is $16 million more than the streetcar's first phase.

^Man that proposed Cincinnati State bridge would really have to fly way up in the air to get over all that.

^Man that proposed Cincinnati State bridge would really have to fly way up in the air to get over all that.

 

I think the reason why there has never been (and never will be) a full interchange at Ludlow Ave. is because they didn't want to pay to replace the original Ludlow Viaduct and didn't want to build a bunch of expensive retaining walls on that slope.  The original I-75 went between the arches of that bridge with a pillar in the median and was designed and funded mostly by the city and state (construction was underway when the 1956 highway bill passed).  But building a diamond interchange at Ludlow would have eliminated so many of the ridiculous problems that existed with access to Northside and Clifton.   

 

Obviously building a full interchange at this point as part of the current rebuild would have been very expensive and required some sort of Texas-sized flyover configuration, but ODOT's refusal to build new partial interchanges means we didn't even get a 75NB ramp from Ludlow.

 

I think what is so strange about this rebuild is that almost all traffic is being taken off of Central Parkway.  I-75 largely bypassed it back in 1963, but now it is totally and completely shut off.  The parkway has great visibility from the interstate, but it's tough to get there.  There is now the potential to shrink the parkway to a 2-lane road north of White Castle and give the remaining ROW over to transit and a bike trail. 

 

 

Truly shocking. I can't believe it is 2016 and this is the best ODOT can do here. That footprint is out of this world inefficient.

I think what is so strange about this rebuild is that almost all traffic is being taken off of Central Parkway.

 

Which is a great argument for finishing the protected bike lanes all the way to Ludlow.

Truly shocking. I can't believe it is 2016 and this is the best ODOT can do here. That footprint is out of this world inefficient.

 

Care to explain? The footprint is far more efficient than what was there previously, and removing unneeded ramps and left lane merges/exits greatly improves flow. Are you familiar with the terrain that these interchanges are in?

The latest round of TIGER funding was announced and Cincinnati, again, did not receive funding for the Elmore Street Connector a.k.a. Cincinnati State Bridge. Pittsburgh received funding to cap a highway, several cities received funding for complete streets projects, and Cincinnati keeps applying for funding for...a new highway overpass.

 

An overpass-to-nowhere.

 

According to Jason Williams on Twitter, the Elmore Street bridge project is dead.

^What a terrific waste of a Tiger grant.  We could have gotten some sort of streetcar expansion for free. 

Streetcar must come with sacrifice and misery when Cranley is around.

If we would've applied for TIGER funding for any reasonable project, we probably would have gotten it. We could've gotten the streetcar extension to UC, or the FWW caps, or finished the Central Parkway cycle track, or added a new BRT route, or.......

If we would've applied for TIGER funding for any reasonable project, we probably would have gotten it. We could've gotten the streetcar extension to UC, or the FWW caps, or finished the Central Parkway cycle track, or added a new BRT route, or.......

 

This is a story Simpson should be telling in her mayoral run.

Whoever decided to put a no right turn on red sign on Hopple to get on I-74 was obviously not thinking clearly.  It causes long back ups from about 3:00-6:30pm that routinely stretch all the back to Good Sam.  Then of course you have the people who don't want to wait and cut in line at the last second, causing even further delay.  There's even a point when traffic exiting I-75 north has a green light and traffic coming from MLK still can't turn.  They could at least put an arrow light in for that.  An issue that doesn't occur quite as much is people trying to get on I-75 south who don't realize they're not supposed be in the turn lane to get on I-74.  These people usually stop and wait for traffic to clear in the next lane.  One traffic is clear, they get in that lane, then immediately get back in the other lane.  Heaven forbid they drive over the white striped lines. 

 

/rant

^ I've never looked but assume there's a standard that says whenever an oncoming left-turn lane has an arrow, there has to be a "no right turn" sign on the opposing right turn lane. The results are dumb about 60% of the time - this is a situation that should be gauged on a case by case basis instead of a standard. In this particular case, the left turn arrow is probably only green for about 20 seconds per cycle. The other 60+ seconds people could be safely turning right on red, but they can't because everything is designed to accommodate the dumbest drivers.

I doubt a simple no turn on red would be the cause of such a backup beyond simply overwhelming volume. 

 

I can't see from the Google street view how the I-75 NB offramp is signed, but I imagine there's nothing to stop someone from going straight across Hopple and getting right on the highway again.  Plus when eastbound Hopple traffic has a left turn, then there's your two scenarios where you probably shouldn't be turning anyway.  I would imagine there's some rule in the MUTCD that states no turn on red should be posted if it's not obvious when oncoming and/or cross traffic has the right-of-way.  It could also be that since the I-75 NB offramp is a rather steep grade, someone trying to turn on red wouldn't be able to see someone else planning to cross Hopple.

^ I've never looked but assume there's a standard that says whenever an oncoming left-turn lane has an arrow, there has to be a "no right turn" sign on the opposing right turn lane. The results are dumb about 60% of the time - this is a situation that should be gauged on a case by case basis instead of a standard. In this particular case, the left turn arrow is probably only green for about 20 seconds per cycle. The other 60+ seconds people could be safely turning right on red, but they can't because everything is designed to accommodate the dumbest drivers.

 

That doesn't make sense.  After the left arrow finishes, wouldn't Hopple go green both ways, with the I-75 NB offramp all red?  So the only time Hopple WB would see a red light is when Hopple EB has a left arrow, or when the I-75 NB offramp has a green left arrow/ball/right arrow or however it's signaled.  Besides, there's tons of intersections where opposing traffic gets a left turn arrow and right on red is still allowed.  If it was a double left turn, then maybe, but even then I still think it's ok. 

^ I've never looked but assume there's a standard that says whenever an oncoming left-turn lane has an arrow, there has to be a "no right turn" sign on the opposing right turn lane. The results are dumb about 60% of the time - this is a situation that should be gauged on a case by case basis instead of a standard. In this particular case, the left turn arrow is probably only green for about 20 seconds per cycle. The other 60+ seconds people could be safely turning right on red, but they can't because everything is designed to accommodate the dumbest drivers.

 

That doesn't make sense.  After the left arrow finishes, wouldn't Hopple go green both ways, with the I-75 NB offramp all red?  So the only time Hopple WB would see a red light is when Hopple EB has a left arrow, or when the I-75 NB offramp has a green left arrow/ball/right arrow or however it's signaled.  Besides, there's tons of intersections where opposing traffic gets a left turn arrow and right on red is still allowed.  If it was a double left turn, then maybe, but even then I still think it's ok. 

 

I think we're talking about the same thing... the 60+ seconds I mentioned is the time that WB Hopple has a red light (when EB has an arrow and when the offramp is green). Given the traffic at this intersection, most of that time people could be using their best judgement to safely turn right on red.

This project starts in the spring.

 

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D08/thruthevalley/Pages/default.aspx

I'm surprised this project has progressed so quickly. Some interesting notes:

 

* ODOT is removing the collector-distributor ramps by the GE facility. This was to be part of a larger local/express setup north towards Tylersville Road. Dayton had a similar system proposed that was never built. I-271 around Cleveland has a lengthy system (currently being extended south to OH 8) but it was never finished along I-480. I always thought the local/express system was pretty great around Cleveland but worked only if it was built to a lengthy distance.

* The missing ramps at OH 126 are finally being completed.

* There are new service roads through GE's mostly deserted parking lot. At its peak, GE employed what, 5,000? Some of their parking lots have been torn out for new landscaping, which arguably looks better than a half-abandoned patch of asphalt.

* Those old, silly one-off ramps in Lockland are being removed and replaced with better connections elsewhere.

 

Maps:

* http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D08/ThruTheValley/FinalSchematics/FinalSchematic_1of3.pdf

* http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D08/ThruTheValley/FinalSchematics/FinalSchematic_2of3.pdf

* http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D08/ThruTheValley/FinalSchematics/FinalSchematic_3of3.pdf

 

Is there documentation floating out there for the 271 project? I'm sort of curious how ODOT is going to weave the express lanes through the 271/480 interchange, or whether there will just be a break, forcing everyone to merge into the local lanes for a couple miles before they pick up again south of the interchange.

I couldn't find diagrams BigDipper 80[/member] . That was my question. Interesting to note that the bridge over Tinkers Creek, when it was widened some years ago, was widened to four-lanes and not for a future local/express configuration. It's now being widened to accommodate the new local/express lanes.

^I got to admit, I think this project is really going to make I-75 so much better than previous.  Even in the areas where they are finished or mostly finished further south, the driving is so much smoother and easier.

 

Something I noticed traveling was that in the State of Alabama, at least in the northern portion close to Tennessee, their interstates have the nice reflectors in the white lane dividers.  I think I-75 put these in, and it could also work better as well if they got more lightining overall in the areas they are reconstructing. 

 

Lastly, it would be great if they could re-surface I-71, at least I know through the areas I travel frequently between downtown and Norwood Lateral.  I don't know what the process is for that as it still works, it just looks so damn shabby with the rusted bridges, the old paint on the sides, and the old concrete and junk trees all along the sides.  I know that's big money for "cosmetics", but in reality, it just looks bad and I am certain when people are traveling south on I-71 into Cincinnati they are thinking "holy cow this is a sh***y area".

I prefer the weathered natural concrete to the painted stuff they're doing now, because the natural concrete develops a nice brown patina, whereas the paint just starts to get dirty and flaky and can look like crap after just a few years.  For instance:  https://goo.gl/maps/ftAV4WgLrf62  Plus the underbrush and trees are preferable to scraping it clean and trying to keep grass growing with all the dandelions and thistle and other weeds that spring up in it.  That said, it's much harder to clean up litter in a thicket of woods.  Either way, I'll take this: https://goo.gl/maps/cNyVgeg8z6u over this: https://goo.gl/maps/7PCNV77BMAU2 any day. 

It looks like ODOT has been grubbing a lot of the vegetation along I-75. It was so unsightly. They did it up to a lot of highways around Cleveland prior to the RNC which vastly improved appearances.

The way they let that open-design parking garage face the interstate at such a high-profile spot is a disgrace.  After all of the drama surrounding that development, the end result is total junk. 

Yeah, I am with you, I am not so much for wanting to have landscaped on the sides, I guess more or less the overall apperance of the highway itself is crappy and outdated.

 

I think the bridge paint looks good right away, but then when everything else around it is a different color, it just makes the whole area look worse almost.

 

I always thought this area in Alabama was the nicest looking highway out.  Kind of hard to tell when it isn't at night, and I know a big difference with the worst winter weather up here, but I wonder what type of concrete / asphalt they are using, it just looks nicer. 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Research+Park+Blvd+NW,+Huntsville,+AL/@34.7120497,-86.6579826,3a,75y,97.91h,86.52t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgx-4vlIKn4bl4OB2N-JOBA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dgx-4vlIKn4bl4OB2N-JOBA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D7.1118827%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x8862695ce9bc2ed1:0x585aca8fe9cdf087!8m2!3d34.7493681!4d-86.6707211!6m1!1e1

ODOT has been repainting many of the road and rail overpasses along I-71 between the Norwood Lateral and Downtown. They look nice but unfortunately a few of them have already been tagged with graffiti.

 

While I-71 doesn't have a "Thru the Valley" type plan, it has been getting incremental upgrades and resurfacing over the years.  A few years ago they added an aux lane between Pfeiffer Road and I-275. They are currently replacing the bridge decks just north of the Lytle Tunnel and also it seems like the new MLK interchange will widen parts of I-71.

ODOT has been repainting many of the road and rail overpasses along I-71 between the Norwood Lateral and Downtown. They look nice but unfortunately a few of them have already been tagged with graffiti.

 

While I-71 doesn't have a "Thru the Valley" type plan, it has been getting incremental upgrades and resurfacing over the years.  A few years ago they added an aux lane between Pfeiffer Road and I-275. They are currently replacing the bridge decks just north of the Lytle Tunnel and also it seems like the new MLK interchange will widen parts of I-71.

 

They are also about to removed exit 8c and remove the 71N bottle neck and create a continuous 3 lanes.

I don't think it will actually be a continuous 3 lanes, they're just moving the lane drop from Ridge to Redbank.  It's that left entrance ramp from the Lateral that causes the problem. 

That Ridge exit only lane is one of my favorite shortcuts in Cincinnati. You can save yourself a few minutes in traffic by using that lane and merging just before the offramp - there's always a big enough gap to merge at some point.

Oh, so YOU'RE that guy! 

He is a traffic engineer's dream! In a congested scenario he is maximizing capacity! Use all the lanes!

^ I always try to tell the people flipping me off that if we all just learned to zipper merge, we wouldn't be in this traffic jam in the first place.

 

 

I call that the Warp Zone

People who fly up that lane and cut over ruin my life. I've had to slam on my brakes to not rear end somebody on my afternoon commute more times than I can remember.

 

Anyways, this should probably all be in the I-71 topic but they're adding an additional lane northbound to fix daily back ups there.

 

 

^ I always try to tell the people flipping me off that if we all just learned to zipper merge, we wouldn't be in this traffic jam in the first place.

 

 

In  Maryland we love the Alternate (Zipper) Merge. They should be the preferred lane transition nationwide!

Looking through the plans I see some encouraging/notable points.

 

- One day you'll see BGS with "Exit 11 Anthony Wayne" on it, I assume.

- Shepherd Lane will play a much bigger role and replace the collector/dist.

- A GE Parkway will give access to land freed up for development.

- Ramp access from WB RR to NB 75

- Left hand Galbraith replaced with right hand flyover.

- Galbraith/RR SB75 bottleneck cured?

 

 

During spring break, a right turn only sign was installed and the no turn on red sign has been turned to face traffic coming from N I-75.  I would like to think someone important is reading this thread, but probably just coincidence.  Whatever the case, traffic flow has improved greatly even though MLK has been reduced to one lane.  Overhead signs were also installed, which I'm sure has helped as well.

I noticed that earth moving equipment is up on the hill just after the Ludlow Viaduct. I hope this isnt for a 'sound barricade', but am unsure why there would be another need to level off as much as they are leveling. Anyone here know the plans of what is going down? I think a sound barricade here would be an awful idea as it blocks the view to the lower part of Mt Storm (the trees at least) bounces sound over to Northside while shielding no one but forest critters and provides an endless canvass for taggers. Hopefully this is just for a fence or drainage, but i foresee an endless commute of concrete from town to my exit in Evendale soon. Grrrr.

 

I'm guessing it's prep work in anticipation of the new I-75/I-74 interchange.

 

http://i75millcreekexpressway.com/images/pdfs/Property%20maps%202-09/PropertyMap9.pdf

http://i75millcreekexpressway.com/images/pdfs/Property%20maps%202-09/PropertyMap10.pdf

Yep, I think you are correct, whew. Where they are digging is the same area as that I-74 North super-long merge lane. Yea! I still get to see some nature on my drive excluding that giant field of grass in the right of way at Hopple. Every day i shake my head at the ammount of land lost with all that road sprawl.

 

 

Most of the new construction is within the existing right-of-way. It's just removing the ground cover and vegetation which, frankly, was unappealing. It was never maintained, full of debris and litter, and was good for makeshift homeless camps - partially why ODOT stripped most of the vegetation near downtown on I-75 and in other areas. It was also inhibiting clear sight lines.

Most of the new construction is within the existing right-of-way. It's just removing the ground cover and vegetation which, frankly, was unappealing. It was never maintained, full of debris and litter, and was good for makeshift homeless camps - partially why ODOT stripped most of the vegetation near downtown on I-75 and in other areas. It was also inhibiting clear sight lines.

 

I have seen that too, but it is further south of the heavy construction going on that I was talking about. This is the area that abuts Mt Storm past Ludlow that was fairly overgrowth and litter free compared to closer to town from the Viaduct south where the brush clearing is going on..

 

Flyover of the upcoming Thru The Valley project:

 

Roundabouts and techno music, what more could you want in a transportation video?