#crawlumbus

[neighborhoodr-columbus]

I just came across this link to a Dispatch article discussing additional closures over the next two weeks via MORPCs Twitter account (@morpc). 

Highlights include:

Southbound I-71 will shut down at I-670 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, the Ohio Department of Transportation said yesterday.

Northbound I-71 will shut down at I-670 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Feb. 6 and 7.

Between Sunday and Thursday, nighttime drivers on eastbound I-670 won’t be able to exit at Cleveland Avenue because of another bridge-demolition project. The shutdowns will occur each night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

[neighborhoodr-columbus]

Once Phase I of that massive project around I-70 / I-71 / I-670 is completed in 2014, motorists will have a brief reprieve until Phase II begins....  Approximately 13yrs (from a start date of 2015 to 2028) worth of reprieve.

This raises a number of questions related to closed entrance / exit ramps, construction costs in the future compared to present day dollars, what happened to the need to improve the splits, what happened to the money that was allocated to pay for these projects on the original timeline, what other projects in the State suddenly became so pressing that one of the busiest stretches of interstate in Central Ohio is no longer a priority?

There's answers to all of these questions, of course.  Some as simple and mundane as declining revenue and tighter State budgets.  But, this doesn't answer a more fundamental question - why is our constantly deteriorating infrastructure never a serious priority?

Speaking for myself, this image sums up most of my feelings regarding the state of our infrastructure.

[columbusdispatch-blog]

Let’s say you want to get from I-70 to I-670 west. Is it even possible, given the closed ramps? Yes, of course. Simply take I-70 west to Rt. 315 north. When you see a break in the fence bordering the freeway, drive down the embankment. Ford the Olentangy River. On the east bank, meet a man wearing a red carnation. He will introduce you to a guide who will lead you through the storm sewer system. After a brief journey, you will emerge near an I-670 ramp. From there, just follow the signs.

Dispatch columnist Joe Blundo offers some tongue-in-cheek tips on how to get around Crawlumbus' headaches

[columbusdispatch-blog]

If you're already getting frustrated with Columbus' Downtown traffic project, check out our full-coverage page at Dispatch.com, which is constantly updated with maps and other resources to help you avoid traffic jams and construction zones.