The Ohio Department of Transportation is considering whether to add Smartlanes on the northbound and southbound lanes of I-71 in downtown Columbus.
The $90 million project would use existing infrastructure on the interstate between between 5th Avenue and State Route 161. This would be the second Smartlane in Ohio after the first was completed on I-670 east between downtown Columbus and the John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
When a Smartlane is in use, the shoulder of the highway opens, typically when traffic is heaviest, and is indicated by a green arrow on several electronic boards along on the interstate. The shoulder would close, indicated by a red "X," when traffic is light or when first responders need to utilize it.
ODOT spokesperson Brooke Ebersole said the infrastructure has the ability to ease congestion, reducing the likelihood of crashes and improving travel time.
"This is an area that sees a lot of to and from traffic. So it's a lot of people traveling from up north to the downtown corridor. And in the afternoon maybe they are going back up to maybe Dublin, Marysville, Westerville," Ebersole said.
The existing Smartlane on I-670 has already impacted traffic, according to Ebersole.
"Prior to the introduction of a Smartlane, it could have taken anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to get from downtown to the east side. Now with the installation of a smart lane post-installment, that commute takes anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes on average," she said.
Ebersole said crashes on this stretch have also fallen 90% since the Smartlane opened.
In addition to this project in Columbus, ODOT is studying new Smartlanes in the Cincinnati and Cleveland areas.
If ODOT moves forward with the project in Columbus, construction would start in 2025 and finish by 2028.
Ebersole said the $90 million price tag for the project includes paving the shoulder and adding the electronic boards along the 10-mile stretch of highway. The project will also improve highway bridges along the route.
ODOT wants public input and is planning two sessions on May 25. The first is virtual scheduled for noon and the second is set for 6 p.m. at the Linden Community Center at 1350 Briarwood Avenue.
Ebersole said the department is looking for any feedback that the public is willing to give. This includes thoughts on the overall proposal, designs and whether there is an impact to the community that ODOT may have not yet addressed.
