ODOT plans to add SmartLane to I-71 to aid traffic flow and rush hour

COLUMBUS, OH — The rush hour that many people experience on weekdays is caused by car stops.

So the Ohio Department of Transportation is working on ways to make Columbus’ Interstate 71 rush hour a little better.

ODOT spokesperson Brooke Ebersole said:

Ebersole said there are more crashes on this road due to rush hour traffic.

“Congestion on this corridor is only getting worse as traffic continues to rise to pre-pandemic levels,” Ebersole said.

ODOT is in the early stages of adding SmartLane to ease congestion in the area.

Use existing shoulders as additional travel lanes during times of congestion and close them when not needed.

“We are not adding lanes or widening highways, we are choosing to leverage the infrastructure that already exists,” Ebersole said.

This smartlane begins on I-71 north at Fifth Avenue and extends to Dublin Granville Road. Similar to the one on I-670 East towards the airport.

Ebersole said he wanted your opinion on the project. She said there will be a public meeting with a virtual option at noon on May 25, in person at the Linden Community Center from 6-7:30 p.m.

“We have good reason to believe that these SmartLanes are secure and will improve the reliability of our statewide infrastructure,” said Ebersole.

The total cost of the project is $90 million. Work will not start until 2025.

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