Interstate 71
| Interstate 71 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route information | |||||||
| Maintained by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Ohio DOT | |||||||
| Length: | 343.78 mi[1][2] (553.26 km) | ||||||
| Major junctions | |||||||
| South end: | |||||||
| North end: | |||||||
| Highway system | |||||||
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Interstate 71 (I-71) is an Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes/Midwestern and Southeastern region of the United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 64 and Interstate 65 (the Kennedy Interchange) in Louisville, Kentucky. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 in Cleveland, Ohio. I-71 runs concurrently with Interstate 75 from a point about twenty miles (30 km) south of Cincinnati, Ohio into downtown Cincinnati. Almost three quarters of the route lies east of I-75, thereby putting it out of its proper place in the Interstate grid.
While I-71 is designated a north–south highway, it is a major east–west route for cross-country traffic. It links I-80 and I-90 to I-70, and ultimately (via I-65) links to I-40.
Contents |
Route description [edit]
| mi[3] | km | |
|---|---|---|
| KY | 97.42 | 156.78 |
| OH | 248.15 | 399.36 |
| Total | 345.57 | 556.14 |
Kentucky [edit]
In Kentucky, I-71 begins east of Downtown Louisville at the Kennedy Interchange, where it meets I-64 and I-65. This interchange is sometimes called "Spaghetti Junction". From Louisville, it roughly follows the Ohio River in a diagonal path toward Northern Kentucky. Between Louisville and Cincinnati, I-71 is largely a two-lane highway, except for a couple of miles in Sparta in which it runs three lanes each way.
Near the town of Carrollton, there are signs marking the location of a tragic accident that occurred on May 14, 1988, when a drunk driver crossed the median and struck a church bus full of children and teenagers, causing the bus' fuel tank to ignite into flames and killing 27 people on board. It is one of the worst bus accidents in state and national history.
I-71 merges with Interstate 75 near Walton and intersects Interstate 275, the Cincinnati beltway. After passing through Covington, the freeway crosses the Ohio River via the lower level of the Brent Spence Bridge and continues into Cincinnati.
| This section requires expansion. (May 2008) |
Ohio [edit]
In Cincinnati, I-71 splits immediately from I-75 and heads due east onto Fort Washington Way, where it continues through downtown Cincinnati concurrently with US-50 for less than a mile. Just east of downtown, US-50 splits from I-71 and continues east; I-71 bends north and receives Interstate 471, a spur from southeast of the city. I-71 then heads in a general northeast direction through urban Cincinnati and into its surrounding suburbs. After another interchange with the Interstate 275 beltway, the freeway leaves the metropolitan area and heads towards Columbus. It continues northeast until it reaches South Lebanon, Ohio, where it begins cutting east across the flat plains of southwest Ohio. The freeway crosses the Little Miami River on the Jeremiah Morrow Bridge, which is a continuous truss bridge and the tallest bridge in Ohio at 239 feet above the river. I-71 heads towards Columbus then intersects with the bypass I-270 before heading north into urban Columbus, where it junctions I-70 and exits out of Columbus. The highway continues north until near Delaware, where it again turns northeast. Beginning its path to Cleveland, I-71 enters the rolling farm country on the edges of the Allegheny Plateau. It continues in this fashion to Lodi/Westfield Center and its junction with I-76. Heading north to Medina, it meets the terminus of I-271. The highway then continues north into urban Cuyahoga County and Cleveland's suburbs, intersecting the Ohio Turnpike/I-80. Passing Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, I-71 meets I-480 and enters Cleveland's west side, continuing on to downtown. It junctions with State Route 176 and terminates at Interstate 90 on the Innerbelt.
History [edit]
Kentucky [edit]
The first section of I-71 in Louisville opened in December 1966 between its terminus at Spaghetti Junction and Zorn Avenue, its first exit. Its junction with I-264 opened in July 1968, and the complete Kentucky portion of the interstate was opened to the public in July 1969.[4]
Ohio [edit]
Much of Interstate 71 in Ohio was intended to be State Route 1. State Route 1 was originally planned in the 1950s as a second Ohio Turnpike extending southwest to northeast across the state. It was planned to run from Cincinnati to Conneaut and connect with an extension built across the panhandle of Pennsylvania to the New York State Thruway. As the highway was being planned, the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 was enacted, and the project was converted from a toll road to a freeway. It was designated as State Route 1, since the Interstate Highway numbering system had not yet been implemented. Portions of the freeway began to be completed and opened in 1959 with the new Interstate Highway funding, and they were marked as State Route 1 as well as with their new Interstate Highway number. Since large gaps existed along the corridor where no freeway had yet been completed, existing two-lane or four-lane highways were also designated as State Route 1 in order to complete the route. The State Route 1 signage was removed in 1966 as the Interstate Highway numbers adequately marked the route by then and the state highway numbering was superfluous.
In Columbus, the portion of Interstate 71 that bounds Worthington's eastern edge was originally called the North Freeway. Costing US$13.8 million, it was constructed south from Route 161, arriving at 11th Avenue by August 1961. It took another year to construct the portion between 11th Avenue and 5th Avenue, mainly due to the need to construct a massive underpass under the Pennsylvania Railroad's Grogan Yard. Today, only two tracks cross the viaduct, and the rest of the structure supports a large, weedy field. By August 1962, the freeway had reached Fifth Avenue, and it reached downtown in November 1962.
Interstate 71 was originally planned to follow the Innerbelt Freeway northward from its current northern terminus to the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway at Dead Man's Curve when Interstate 90 was planned to continue westward from there along the Shoreway.[5]
Upon its completion, I-71 replaced State Route 3 as the primary highway link between Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.
Recently,[when?] the interchange at milepost 121 north of Columbus was reconstructed to allow access to the eastern extension of Gemini Place. Before that, it was a simple diamond interchange with Polaris Parkway (Ohio State Route 750).
Exit list [edit]
| State | County | Location | Mile[1][2] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Jefferson |
Louisville | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1 | ||
| 1.724 | 2.775 | 2 | Zorn Avenue | ||||
| Indian Hills | 4.966 | 7.992 | 5 | ||||
| Louisville | 9.063 | 14.585 | 9 | ||||
| Oldham |
14.488 | 23.316 | 14 | ||||
| 17.478 | 28.128 | 17 | |||||
| 18.507 | 29.784 | 18 | |||||
| La Grange | 21.869 | 35.195 | 22 | ||||
| Henry |
27.840 | 44.804 | 28 | ||||
| Campbellsburg | 33.505 | 53.921 | 34 | ||||
| Carroll |
42.802 | 68.883 | 43 | ||||
| 44.312 | 71.313 | 44 | |||||
| Gallatin |
54.980 | 88.482 | 55 | Serves Kentucky Speedway | |||
| 56.673 | 91.206 | 57 | Serves Kentucky Speedway | ||||
| Glencoe | 61.774 | 99.416 | 62 | ||||
| Boone |
72.195 | 116.187 | 72 | ||||
| 77.724 | 125.085 | 77 | South end of I-75 overlap; exit numbers switch to follow I-75's mileposts | ||||
| 79.556 | 128.033 | 175 | |||||
| Florence | 82.275 | 132.409 | 178 | ||||
| 84.298 | 135.664 | 180 | |||||
| 84.694 | 136.302 | 180A | Mall Road (KY 3157) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; serves Florence Mall | |||
| 85.449 | 137.517 | 181 | |||||
| 86.652 | 139.453 | 182 | |||||
| Kenton |
Erlanger | 87.967 | 141.569 | 184 | Signed as exits 184A (east) and 184B (west) southbound | ||
| 88.900 | 143.071 | 185 | |||||
| Fort Mitchell | 90.539 | 145.708 | 186 | ||||
| 91.913 | 147.920 | 188 | |||||
| Fort Wright | 92.870 | 149.460 | 189 | ||||
| Covington | 94.707– 94.858 |
152.416– 152.659 |
191 | 12th Street (KY 1120), Pike Street (US 25 / US 42 / US 127) – Covington | |||
| 95.414– 95.507 |
153.554– 153.704 |
192 | 5th Street (KY 8) – Covington, Newport | ||||
| Ohio River |
0.00 |
0.00 |
Brent Spence Bridge Kentucky–Ohio state line |
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| Ohio | Hamilton |
Cincinnati | 0.22– 0.50 |
0.35– 0.80 |
1A | ||
| 1B | Second Street, Third Street – Downtown Cincinnati, Riverfront | ||||||
| 1.11 | 1.79 | 1C | North end of US 50 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
| Lytle Tunnel Sharp turn (40 mph or 64 km/h) in both directions |
|||||||
| 1.99 | 3.20 | 1D | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| 2.33– 2.48 |
3.75– 3.99 |
2 | |||||
| 3.33 | 5.36 | 3 | William Howard Taft Road | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 4.46– 6.03 |
7.18– 9.70 |
5 | Montgomery Road (US 22 / SR 3), Dana Avenue | ||||
| Norwood | 6.75– 6.96 |
10.86– 11.20 |
6 | ||||
| Cincinnati | 8.04 | 12.94 | 8A | Ridge Avenue south | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 8.04 | 12.94 | 8B | Signed as exit 7 southbound | ||||
| 8.51 | 13.70 | 8C | Ridge Avenue north | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 8.75 | 14.08 | 8 | Kennedy Avenue, Ridge Avenue | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 9.91– 9.92 |
15.95– 15.96 |
9 | Red Bank Road – Fairfax | ||||
| Silverton | 10.68 | 17.19 | 10 | Stewart Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 11.81 | 19.01 | 11 | Kenwood Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 12.44 | 20.02 | 12 | |||||
| Montgomery | 14.13 | 22.74 | 14 | ||||
| 15.80 | 25.43 | 15 | Pfeiffer Road | ||||
| 17.51– 17.54 |
28.18– 28.23 |
17 | Signed as exits 17A (east) and 17B (west) southbound | ||||
| Hamilton–Warren county line |
19.88– 19.97 |
31.99– 32.14 |
19 | Mason Montgomery Road, Fields Ertel Road | |||
| Warren |
Mason | 23.53 | 37.87 | 24 | Western Row Road, Kings Island Drive | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 25.30 | 40.72 | 25 | |||||
| 28.33 | 45.59 | 28 | |||||
| 32.56 | 52.40 | 32 | |||||
| 36.74 | 59.13 | 36 | Wilmington Road | ||||
| Clinton |
45.11 | 72.60 | 45 | ||||
| 50.74– 50.75 |
81.66– 81.67 |
50 | |||||
| Greene |
58.01 | 93.36 | 58 | ||||
| Fayette |
Octa | 65.33 | 105.14 | 65 | |||
| Jeffersonville | 69.49 | 111.83 | 69 | ||||
| 75.03 | 120.75 | 75 | |||||
| Madison |
84.27 | 135.62 | 84 | ||||
| Franklin |
94.15 | 151.52 | 94 | ||||
| 97.16 | 156.36 | 97 | Interchange fully opened August 17, 2012[6] | ||||
| Grove City | 100.60 | 161.90 | 100 | Stringtown Road – Grove City | |||
| 101.68 | 163.64 | 101 | Signed as exits 101A (east) and 101B (west) northbound | ||||
| Columbus | 103.86 | 167.15 | 104 | ||||
| 105.43 | 169.67 | 105 | Greenlawn Avenue | ||||
| 106.33 | 171.12 | 106A | South end of I-70 overlap; exit numbers switch to follow I-70's mileposts | ||||
| 99B | |||||||
| 107.07– 107.17 |
172.31– 172.47 |
100A | No northbound entrance; southbound exit is via exit 100B | ||||
| 107.41 | 172.86 | 100B | |||||
| 107.90– 108.10 |
173.65– 173.97 |
107 | North end of I-70 overlap | ||||
| 108.20 | 174.13 | 108A | Main Street | No northbound exit | |||
| 108.63 | 174.82 | 108B | |||||
| 108.93 | 175.31 | — | Downtown C/D Roads | Southbound exit and northbound entrance (under construction) | |||
| 109.38 | 176.03 | — | Leonard Avenue | Northbound exit only | |||
| 109.16– 109.61 |
175.68– 176.40 |
109A | Signed as exits 109A (west) and 109B (east, combined with Leonard Avenue exit) northbound | ||||
| 110.16 | 177.29 | 110A | Fifth Avenue | No northbound exit | |||
| 110.68 | 178.12 | 110B | 11th Avenue | ||||
| 111.15 | 178.88 | 111 | 17th Avenue | ||||
| 112.33 | 180.78 | 112 | Hudson Street | ||||
| 112.98 | 181.82 | 113 | Weber Road | ||||
| 113.46 | 182.60 | 114 | North Broadway | ||||
| 114.53 | 184.32 | 115 | Cooke Road | ||||
| 115.58 | 186.01 | 116 | Morse Road, Sinclair Road | ||||
| 117.53 | 189.15 | 117 | |||||
| 119.21– 119.23 |
191.85– 191.88 |
119 | Signed as exits 119A (east) and 119B (west) southbound | ||||
| Delaware |
121.45– 121.92 |
195.45– 196.21 |
121 | ||||
| 130.64 | 210.24 | 131 | |||||
| Morrow |
140.15 | 225.55 | 140 | ||||
| 151.09 | 243.16 | 151 | |||||
| Richland |
Bellville | 165.25 | 265.94 | 165 | |||
| Mansfield | 168.81 | 271.67 | 169 | ||||
| 172.97 | 278.37 | 173 | |||||
| 176.91 | 284.71 | 176 | |||||
| Ashland |
186.71 | 300.48 | 186 | ||||
| Wayne |
196.31 | 315.93 | 196 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 197.92 | 318.52 | 198 | |||||
| Medina |
Lodi | 203.89 | 328.13 | 204 | |||
| Seville | 209.51 | 337.17 | 209 | ||||
| Medina Township | 218.86 | 352.22 | 218 | ||||
| 220.71 | 355.20 | 220 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
| 222.91 | 358.74 | 222 | |||||
| Brunswick | 226.03 | 363.76 | 226 | ||||
| Cuyahoga |
Strongsville | 231.26 | 372.18 | 231 | Signed as exits 231A (east) and 231B (west) southbound | ||
| 233.06 | 375.07 | 233 | |||||
| Middleburg Heights | 234.21 | 376.92 | 234 | ||||
| 235.37 | 378.79 | 235 | Bagley Road – Berea, Middleburg Heights | ||||
| Brook Park | 237.53 | 382.27 | 237 | Snow Road, Engle Road – Cleveland Hopkins International Airport | Signed as exits 237A (east) and 237B (west) southbound | ||
| Brook Park–Cleveland city line | 238.77 | 384.26 | 238 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| Cleveland | 239.26 | 385.05 | 238 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 240.57 | 387.16 | 240 | West 150th Street | ||||
| 241.85 | 389.22 | 242A | West 130th Street | Signed as exit 242 southbound | |||
| Cleveland–Linndale city line | 242.41 | 390.12 | 242B | Bellaire Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| Cleveland | 244.5 | 393.5 | 244 | Denison Avenue, West 65th Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 245.48– 246.20 |
395.06– 396.22 |
245 | |||||
| 246.6 | 396.9 | 246 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| 246.98 | 397.48 | 247A | West 14th Street, Clark Avenue | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 247.56 | 398.41 | 247B | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
| 247.56 | 398.41 | 247B | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
| 247.81 | 398.81 | — | |||||
Auxiliary routes [edit]
- I-471 - links downtown Cincinnati with Interstate 275
- I-271 - provides access to Cleveland's eastern suburbs and enables travelers on Interstate 71 to access Interstate 90 east without going through Cleveland proper.
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See also [edit]
- Carrollton bus disaster, a drunk-driving tragedy involving a school bus that occurred on I-71
- List of unused highways in Ohio
- Sports rivalries involving cities on I-71
- The I-71 Rivalry: Cincinnati Bengals–Cleveland Browns (NFL)
- The Keg of Nails: Cincinnati Bearcats–Louisville Cardinals (NCAA Football)
- Ohio Cup: Cincinnati Reds-Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball)
References [edit]
- ^ a b Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, HIS Expanded Milepoint Route Log Extract, updated October 31, 2007
- ^ a b Ohio Department of Transportation Office of Technical Services: Straight Line Diagrams, current as of January 1, 2007
- ^ "Route Log and Finder List: Table 1 - Interstate System". FHWA. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
- ^ Kleber, John E. (ed.). "Encyclopedia of Louisville". p. 418.
- ^ Ohio Department of Highways. "1957-1958 Biennial Report (excerpt)". Retrieved 2013-02-27.
- ^ "Transportation Partners Celebrate Opening of New Southern Gateway" (Press release). Ohio Department of Transportation District 6. 2012-08-16. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
External links [edit]
| KML file (edit) |
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Interstate 71 |
- I-71 on Cincinnati-Transit.net
- Interstate-guide.com: Interstate 71
- Historic photos: 1963 aerial view of I-71 construction between 17th and 5th avenues in Columbus, Ohio Gasoline tanker crash and fire collapses Cleveland Avenue overpass in Columbus, Ohio 6/28/1966 Rebuilding the Cleveland Avenue overpass after it was destroyed by a gasoline tanker fire in 1966
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