COLUMBUS – Relief is on the way for drivers who slog home through heavy traffic on I-670 returning home to Gahanna or the Northeast Side via I-670, but they will have to wait for nearly a year before enjoying the fruits of Ohio’s first “SmartLane.”
The state Department of Transportation plans to begin construction this week on the seven-mile stretch of I-670 between downtown and John Glenn International Airport, converting the left-side shoulder into an additional travel lane
“This project is a smart investment for Ohio. By re-purposing the shoulder, which already exists, and investing in state-of-the-art technology, we are able to decrease congestion in this corridor without the high costs and long timelines associated with highway widening,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray.
The extra lane will generally be open Monday through Friday during the evening rush hour, from about 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will only be opened during off-peak times if traffic conditions warrant a need for it.
State-of-the-art digital overhead signs will be installed every three-quarters of a mile to let motorists know if the lane is open to traffic or closed by displaying either a red “X” or a green arrow.
The state’s most recent biennial budget legislation also gave ODOT the authority to lower the speed limits on I-670 when the SmartLane is open.
The $60 million project, which includes resurfacing and reconfiguring the SmartLane, resurfacing I-670 between I-71 and I-270 and reconfiguring the interchange at I-670, I-270 and US 62, is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.
During construction this year and next, drivers will experience ramp and lane closures, most of which will occur overnight and on weekends.