Second Lane Opens on I-71 Southbound Flyover Ramp in Downtown Columbus; $280 Million Phase Due This Fall
Columbus is a city in Franklin County, Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch reported on October 14 that the Ohio Department of Transportation opened a second lane that day on the Interstate 71 southbound flyover ramp in downtown Columbus. Drivers entering the ramp from Interstate 70 westbound or Mound Street no longer have to merge into a single lane.
The ramp had been restricted to one lane since it opened in December while crews finished the second lane and nearby interstate work. ODOT's District 6 announced the opening in an October 14 social media video.
The flyover is part of Phase 4R/6R of ODOT's Downtown Ramp Up project, a $280 million phase started in 2022 and expected to finish by the end of fall. Before the ramp opened, drivers merging onto I-70 west from the now-closed Third Street ramp had to cross three lanes in less than a mile to stay on I-71 south.
Sources: The Columbus Dispatch, October 14, 2026; Ohio Department of Transportation.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 哥伦布市中心市景实景。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，Paul Wasneski 摄，公共领域
