COLUMBUS – The 2,000 Ohio State football fans who are accustomed to parking near the OSU Wexner Medical Center on game day will have to make other plans from now on.
Due to a project to relocate Cannon Drive, university officials say the Polo and Dodd surface parking lots will close the night of Sept. 4, eliminating 2,100 parking spaces.
Fans who have traditionally parked in these lots are encouraged to arrive early, avoid the Medical Center area, expect travel delays and park in the 9th Avenue Garage or in the West Campus lots near Kenny Road and ride the shuttle to the stadium.
The straightening and elevating of Cannon Drive will make 12 acres of land available for development, provide future flood protection, create an eventual north-south connection between King and Lane Avenues and enhance green space in the Olentangy River corridor, according to the university’s website.
The first phase of construction is expected to run through the fall of 2019. As a result, starting September 5, Cannon Drive will close for construction between 12th Avenue and Medical Center Drive.
Access to the SR-315 on-ramp and off-ramp will be maintained during football season though intermittent closures could occur this fall during overnight hours.