On 4/27/2019 at 12:56 PM, Columbo said:

 

An update from ABC6 about the "long-awaited infrastructure fix for a section of West Third Avenue".  After just over two years, it is still being awaited:

 

https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/drivers-frustrated-after-setbacks-cause-major-delay-in-grandview-construction-project

 

But it is getting closer to the finish.  Here's the latest update the Columbus Public Service Department.  The eastbound Third Avenue traffic is still being detoured while the railroad bridge opening is being widened.  The bad news is that the westbound Third Avenue traffic is also scheduled to be detoured from May 6, 2019 thru June 3, 2019.  According to the City website, all bridge work is expected to finish in July 2019.  Road and sidewalk work will start once the bridgework is completed and is scheduled to finish September 2019:

 

https://www.columbus.gov/publicservice/streets/project-information/3rd-Avenue-between-Edgehill-Road-and-fire-station/

 

 

 

On 8/7/2019 at 3:26 PM, Columbo said:

 

Another update on the widening of the Third Avenue railroad bridge.  Construction photo posted 7/29 at https://www.columbusunderground.com/construction-roundup-short-north-grandview-yard-we1

 

Finally!  The long-awaited update for the long-awaited infrastructure fix at the railroad bridge on West Third Avenue.

 

And it is ...

[drumroll]

... still being awaited(!)

 

The reopening of W. 3rd Avenue didn't meet the September deadline (shocking right?) - but according to a recent Columbus reddit post, the end may be nigh!

 

From https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/dj4sg0/3rd_ave_to_close_for_3_weeks_in_both_directions/

 

Quote

 

3rd ave to close for 3 weeks in both directions starting Friday (18th) for 3 weeks

From the city's website:

"The Contractor is currently preparing to switch railroad traffic to the new bridge which is scheduled to occur on October 14th, 2019.  Once train traffic has been shifted from the temporary railroad structure onto the new permanent railroad structure, a (3) week full closure of 3rd Avenue will be implemented and the Contractor will continue the construction of 3rd Avenue and Rail Street. Eastbound Third Avenue continues to be detoured.  Third Avenue is scheduled to be back open to (2) way traffic after the (3) week full closure on November 8, 2019."

 

 

I saw the word "finally" before the pictures loaded and I got REALLY excited they were adding sidewalks somewhere in the area.

 

I've got to laugh about this whole 3rd Ave bridge fiasco. I voluntarily got rid of my car 3 years ago, before this project even started, and this has been a complete non-issue for me. I don't even remember about it until someone I interact with in my life starts complaining about it.

 

The wonders of walking, biking, and busing everywhere, let me tell ya!

 

The sweet, sweet irony for me is that this project is to add sidewalks to make it more bike and pedestrian friendly.

 

Warning: Jerk face statement incoming:

 

Maybe this makes me a big jerk face, but I am loving the justice of this rather minuscule inconvenience for drivers because they can't plow through anything and everything to their destination without any kind of headache when people who don't drive are pretty much given the finger for every project done in this city that has a car concession. And 95% of said projects prioritize drivers over anyone using any other method of transport no matter it be their feet, bicycle, or whatever.

The bridge did totally suck to walk under BITD though. It was like rock climbing.

9 hours ago, Zyrokai said:

I saw the word "finally" before the pictures loaded and I got REALLY excited they were adding sidewalks somewhere in the area.

 

I've got to laugh about this whole 3rd Ave bridge fiasco. I voluntarily got rid of my car 3 years ago, before this project even started, and this has been a complete non-issue for me. I don't even remember about it until someone I interact with in my life starts complaining about it.

 

The wonders of walking, biking, and busing everywhere, let me tell ya!

 

The sweet, sweet irony for me is that this project is to add sidewalks to make it more bike and pedestrian friendly.

 

Warning: Jerk face statement incoming:

 

Maybe this makes me a big jerk face, but I am loving the justice of this rather minuscule inconvenience for drivers because they can't plow through anything and everything to their destination without any kind of headache when people who don't drive are pretty much given the finger for every project done in this city that has a car concession. And 95% of said projects prioritize drivers over anyone using any other method of transport no matter it be their feet, bicycle, or whatever.

I would say pompous more than jerk face, good for you though! Some people don’t have that opportunity, but good luck bussing to Easton, Dublin or Polaris in the snow should your career ever take you there! 

7 hours ago, wpcc88 said:

I would say pompous more than jerk face, good for you though! Some people don’t have that opportunity, but good luck bussing to Easton, Dublin or Polaris in the snow should your career ever take you there! 

 

Yes, I understand and I'm not blaming those people. I'm more blaming the design of our streets more than anything. 

The myth is real(!)  The new Third Avenue railroad bridge is finished and vehicular traffic is open both directions.

 

However, the new sidewalks haven't been installed yet.  Because did you really think this 2+ year construction project would end that easily?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/e0k9w0/its_here_3rd_avenue_in_grandview_is_finally_open/

Can verify - I drove through here in both directions running lunchtime errands.

 

It looks like the bridge was constructed to allow for future expansion on the west side.

Edited November 25, 20195 yr by Pablo

That was a real mess for a while. 5th was a nightmare.

Woohoo!

 

But they're still adding the sidewalks right??

42 minutes ago, Pablo said:

It looks like the bridge was constructed to allow for future expansion on the west side.

IDK about expansion as there's no room for a third set of rails. However, a train station platform would fit here...

3 minutes ago, aderwent said:

IDK about expansion as there's no room for a third set of rails. However, a train station platform would fit here...

Is it feasible that they could use the freight tracks for a transit system?  I thought that was really hard to do.

Just now, TH3BUDDHA said:

Is it feasible that they could use the freight tracks for a transit system?  I thought that was really hard to do.

Not sure. I know the rails are pretty well used as almost every time I go to that Giant Eagle a train is passing by. I assume most heavy rail systems share people and goods transports. Not sure how much cooperation/payments/engineering is needed to accomplish that though. Perhaps someone more familiar with heavy rail systems could chime in?

50 minutes ago, Zyrokai said:

Woohoo!

 

But they're still adding the sidewalks right??

Yea.  Check back again in 3 years.

18 hours ago, Pablo said:

Can verify - I drove through here in both directions running lunchtime errands.

 

It looks like the bridge was constructed to allow for future expansion on the west side.

 

Maybe for a light rail line-  lol, j/k.  

6 minutes ago, jonoh81 said:

 

Maybe for a light rail line-  lol, j/k.  

Is this not a possibility?  Why else would they have made it so awkwardly wide?  These tracks would be perfect for a route.  They go north right through OSU west campus and the future Innovation District along the Olentangy Transit corridor project that just got announced.  They go right through Grandview Yard into the Arena District and split going either towards Franklinton or to the Convention Center and out to Easton/Airport.

A Few things come to mind. 

 

1. The railroad will not give right of way. They denied right of way for airport to convention center where they have PLENTY of room for most of the route without much additional work needed.

 

2. That's one widened bridge out of how many that would need to be widened along that route?

 

3. Also, the photos appear that it is widened on one side only? The south side. The north side abuts the trucks directly? This seems to me to imply it's a place for servicing equipment and/or or a control box. That would also be the more logical location to leave wide for a parking pad for servicing vehicles as access behind the fire station is relatively easy. 

 

 

12 minutes ago, DTCL11 said:

A Few things come to mind. 

 

1. The railroad will not give right of way. They denied right of way for airport to convention center where they have PLENTY of room for most of the route without much additional work needed.

 

2. That's one widened bridge out of how many that would need to be widened along that route?

 

3. Also, the photos appear that it is widened on one side only? The south side. The north side abuts the trucks directly? This seems to me to imply it's a place for servicing equipment and/or or a control box. That would also be the more logical location to leave wide for a parking pad for servicing vehicles as access behind the fire station is relatively easy. 

 

 

That's a much more reasonable and much more disappointing explanation. 

It is not uncommon for railroads to request/require additional width when a rail overpass is completed, just in case they ever want to add another track. The same request has been made on the NS bridge that Delaware is rebuilding at the US 36/SR 37 split.

57 minutes ago, DTCL11 said:

A Few things come to mind. 

 

1. The railroad will not give right of way. They denied right of way for airport to convention center where they have PLENTY of room for most of the route without much additional work needed.

 

2. That's one widened bridge out of how many that would need to be widened along that route?

 

3. Also, the photos appear that it is widened on one side only? The south side. The north side abuts the trucks directly? This seems to me to imply it's a place for servicing equipment and/or or a control box. That would also be the more logical location to leave wide for a parking pad for servicing vehicles as access behind the fire station is relatively easy. 

 

 

And this is why I think it will be extremely difficult to get rail in Central Ohio-the railways will not cooperate. If it cannot be confined to existing railroad right of ways and neighboring areas, there will be huge neighborhood opposition to any other transit corridors-including highways. Maybe some limited light rail on some major arteries or a short streetcar line or two but beyond that the NIMBYS will kill anything else given the lack of railway right of way.  

 

There are still way too many people in Central Ohio who want to go back to the way the city was in 1985-and keep it there.

Edited November 26, 20195 yr by Toddguy

1 hour ago, TH3BUDDHA said:

Is this not a possibility?  Why else would they have made it so awkwardly wide?  These tracks would be perfect for a route.  They go north right through OSU west campus and the future Innovation District along the Olentangy Transit corridor project that just got announced.  They go right through Grandview Yard into the Arena District and split going either towards Franklinton or to the Convention Center and out to Easton/Airport.

 

I suspect the answer is much more mundane.  The problem is that these tracks are busy, and it would be difficult to run passenger rail on freight lines even if that weren't the case.  Either the freight would have to move to another line or a separate passenger line would have to be built, because I can't see them both using it at the same time.  I also think that if the widening were included for some kind of future passenger rail station, that would've been mentioned at some point over the 57 years that this project took from planning through construction phases.  I also think the Olentangy transit corridor route will  go on Olentangy itself in the form of BRT, or a nearby separate line if it happens to be rail (which I don't think it will be).

Edited November 26, 20195 yr by jonoh81

^^ I think the future of mass transit, for better or worse, in Central Ohio is BRT/upgrading our bus service. A good start would be having it free and paid for by taxpayers-just subsidize it and everyone will win-easier on poorer people(who most often use it), better off for drivers(getting more cars off the roads, etc). JMHO.

Not to veer too far off but I believe ORR is prime for an elevated passenger rail. I'll just be happy with a TRUE BRT along that corridor. 

This is why BRT is the way to go, not rail.

Is there anyway that the city or region could use any kind of eminent domain to compel shared usage or at least part of a right of way(as in adding an additional track/using the corridor for an elevated line?)

 

From comparison of the before and after pictures, my guess is that where we now see extra space is where the old rail bridge once stood. They basically built that support column under both the old and new bridge until the old bridge was deconstructed. 

 

That being said, I do not doubt that it was completed in this manner in order to accommodate easy future expansion (I.e. another freight line)

 

EDIT: Never mind that, after more careful comparison.. I am wrong.

Edited November 26, 20195 yr by NightNectar

^Actually, you're correct. This streetview photo shows the temporary east side tracks being supported by the new construction.

 

 

Yeah, I also thought the bridge being wider was just a function of them needing to build a new bridge around and under an active rail line. It's probably much easier to spend money making the bridge a bit wider and keeping the line open than it would be to shut anything down. 

Here's a project that slipped under the radar. The densification of Broadview Ave. continues. The two story apartment court behind Big Lots has been demolished and a 3-4 story apartment building on top of a parking garage is under construction. Looks like there are townhomes fronting Broadview. The project address is 1471 Ida Ave. There have been a lot of these infill projects in this area and around the Chambers Rd. Kroger. 

 

 

I believe the project is known as The Broadview, Phase 2 and is being developed by Avenue Partners

https://www.avenuepartners.com/the-broadview-phase-2

Here's the Broadview side of the project:

 

12 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Here's a project that slipped under the radar. The densification of Broadview Ave. continues. The two story apartment court behind Big Lots has been demolished and a 3-4 story apartment building on top of a parking garage is under construction. Looks like there are townhomes fronting Broadview. The project address is 1471 Ida Ave. There have been a lot of these infill projects in this area and around the Chambers Rd. Kroger. 

 

 

I believe the project is known as The Broadview, Phase 2 and is being developed by Avenue Partners

https://www.avenuepartners.com/the-broadview-phase-2

Here's the Broadview side of the project:

 

 

I noticed this construction activity a couple weeks and had no idea what it was for. Thanks for posting this. 

That looks sharp. I'm glad to see infill along these lines and hope to see more. 

I'm going to ask for the "Pedantic Statement ot the Day" Award by pointing out that's it's densification rather than infill since occupied residential was there before.

14 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

I'm going to ask for the "Pedantic Statement ot the Day" Award by pointing out that's it's densification rather than infill since occupied residential was there before.

 

This particular project is densification. Other projects in the area are infill, some by the same developer. Is it infill when an apartment block is built on a former one story commercial building with a huge parking lot?

^^^^All the more reason to make 5xNW more walkable! ..... especially to get to the Kroger on foot. It's a nightmare and I do it weekly.

The good cut-throughs behind Kroger are all gone now... or is there one left?

6 hours ago, cbussoccer said:

 

I noticed this construction activity a couple weeks and had no idea what it was for. Thanks for posting this. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9866301,-83.0461236,3a,75y,80.61h,99.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9JKe8SLIpPcFbmkYG1A_-w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

It seems that the townhouse "liner" was not constructed as the rendering suggests?

14 minutes ago, jebleprls22 said:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9866301,-83.0461236,3a,75y,80.61h,99.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9JKe8SLIpPcFbmkYG1A_-w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

It seems that the townhouse "liner" was not constructed as the rendering suggests?

I think this is for the second part. I think that apartment structure was the first phase.

Yeah, pan left and you can see the yellow apartments that came down for Phase II.

36 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

Yeah, pan left and you can see the yellow apartments that came down for Phase II.

It’s still strange they didn’t put townhouses in front of phase 1 as well. 

Edited January 22, 20205 yr by VintageLife

Third Avenue Rail Bridge (Sat. 7-18-20)

 

 

 

 

Looking West

The Broadview Phase 1 (Sat. 7-18-20) 

 

The Broadview Phase 2

 

 

Phase 2 from Grandview Avenue 

1 hour ago, NorthShore647 said:

Third Avenue Rail Bridge (Sat. 7-18-20)

 

Thanks very much for the photos - really happy to see this finally be a reality. Any comments on its functionality? As a pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist?

3 hours ago, CMHOhio said:

 

Thanks very much for the photos - really happy to see this finally be a reality. Any comments on its functionality? As a pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist?

It serves as a perfect place to view "Fort Columbus" from that one pic. I used to work where that brick monolith now stands.

18 hours ago, Toddguy said:

It serves as a perfect place to view "Fort Columbus" from that one pic. I used to work where that brick monolith now stands.

If they actually terraced that bank of earth and then landscaped it that would go along way to making it not so overbearing.  Some shrubs, small trees, ornamental grasses, lilies, etc. would really help that strip. Who owns it? -The city or the developer?

A cool mural on that wall- and landscaping- would completely transform that look.  It's been an eyesore since it was built.

On 7/20/2020 at 12:56 PM, CMHOhio said:

Any comments on its functionality? As a pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist?

 

Just want to first say how much of an upgrade this is over the former West 3rd bridge and streetscape. The current configuration is soooo much better than what used to be there.

 

There isn't much bike infrastructure west of the tracks (Grandview Heights, 5xNW aside from part of King, or Grandview Yard as @VintageLife pointed out in that thread). A step in the right direction is however the wide sidewalk/mixed use path on the south side of W. 3rd Avenue. It connects directly to a path along the west side of Olentangy River Road and the Olentangy Trail across the street. To support this rapidly densifying neighborhood, there needs to be more of this kind of infrastructure for cyclists with lower comfort levels. (Of the many rail underpasses in Columbus, I believe this is one of the first to have any bicycle infrastructure or mixed use path)

 

I do however have one major issue with the project from a cyclists/pedestrian perspective. The Rail Street and W. 3rd Ave intersection has a type of slip lane for cars on Rail Street taking a right onto Third which does not require them to stop. Pedestrians or cyclists going west under the bridge can not see these cars well if at all because of how close Rail Street is to the bridge.I think its only a matter of time before someone gets hit here. 

These pictures were taken while I was riding by bike. 

 

16 hours ago, NorthShore647 said:

I do however have one major issue with the project from a cyclists/pedestrian perspective. The Rail Street and W. 3rd Ave intersection has a type of slip lane for cars on Rail Street taking a right onto Third which does not require them to stop. Pedestrians or cyclists going west under the bridge can not see these cars well if at all because of how close Rail Street is to the bridge.I think its only a matter of time before someone gets hit here. 

These pictures were taken while I was riding by bike. 

 

Not only is it a slip lane, which is inappropriate in any urban area, it is one with bad visibility because of the bridge, and one often crossed by bike traffic, which will be going faster than drivers expect. Not sure what they were thinking.

Edited July 28, 20204 yr by Ted

The city also recently repaved Northwest Blvd, also remaking the curbs. They kept the 4 lane design (unsafe and inefficient, good opportunity for bike lanes) and failed to include sidewalks on this high speed, dense, transit-served corridor. Fresh pavement for cars going to UA shouldn't be a higher priority than the residents of 5xNW.

2 hours ago, Ted said:

Not only is it a slip lane, which is inappropriate in any urban area, it is one with bad visibility because of the bridge, and one often crossed by bike traffic, which will be going faster than drivers expect. Not sure what they were thinking.

It is truly such a strange design for that intersection. The left hand turn from Third onto Rail seems unnecessary (and poorly executed as-is). And the right-turn-only lane from Third onto Rail should just be a through lane, which would also eliminate the slip lane and the weird treatment of how Rail meets Third. It is overly complicated and convoluted and, as you both have mentioned, it is a nightmare for cyclists and pedestrians just trying to travel along the south side of Third.

A couple of months ago I took a picture of a warehouse demolition I noticed off at 1145 Chambers (between Kenny and Northwest).

 

The only information I could find on a development here was the parcels sale for $1.2 million to an LLC in May of this year. The LLC was however registered by Nicholas King who is one of the owners of Preferred Living, the local apartment developer and management company. As far as I could tell there wasn't any information on what they were planing for the parcel. 

 

Then this past Monday I saw the beginnings of what appears to be a "1 plus 4" apartment building. The light manufacturing tear downs for 3-5 story apartment in 5xNW continues. 

 

 

Location: https://www.google.com/maps/place/1145+Chambers+Rd,+Columbus,+OH+43212

The Broadview Phase 2 (Sat. 10-17-20)

 

 

Preferred Living building at 1145 Chambers