I-670  Ohio (link)

9.37 miles [1]; from I-70, through downtown Columbus, to I-270 near the Port Columbus airport. The final link of I-670 was opened on Sept. 19, 2003. [8]

I-670 west of I-71

I-670 is another urban interstate with a history and construction cycle spanning many decades. In September 1995, the federal planning document "General location of national system of interstate highways", also known as the "Yellow Book", depicted an inner beltway for Columbus; this would eventually be constructed as parts of I-70, I-71, OH 315, and I-670.

The north leg of the innerbelt was built in the late 1950s and signed I-71. I-70 was to approach the Spring-Sandusky interchange (OH 315/US 33) from the west and then overlap with I-71 northbound through downtown. At that time, there was no concept for I-670; the highway west of I-71 was part of I-70, and the portion east was not yet started. [7]

By 1965, planners knew that the Spring-Sandusky interchange was insufficient to handle I-70 and I-71 traffic, and a new southerly route for I-70 was conceived. [6] The "leftover" portion became Interstate 670. Planning for this started in 1965 and finished in 1971. Work was expected to start after the I-70/I-71 interchange was completed in 1976. However, new environmental legislation halted the project, and design was restarted from scratch in 1978. [4]

Work finished the inner belt section, including the interchanges with I-71 and OH 315. At I-71, the old I-670 passes south of Fort Hayes Army Reserve, while the new one passes north.

I-670 east of I-71

Meanwhile, a freeway leading from downtown to I-270 near the airport was desired, to help develop the regional economy. [5] Part of this had been built as a US 62 freeway in the mid-1960s. In December 1975, AASHTO approved extending the I-670 designation along this proposed route. [6]

Finishing I-670

By 1990, three gaps remained:

• from I-71 to the airport, completed in 1993
• between OH 315 and Grandview Avenue, opened June 17, 2002 [4]
• the revamped Spring-Sandusky Interchange; planned since 1971; opened Sept. 19, 2003. [3] [4] [6]

With the completed Spring-Sandusky Interchange, I-670 is now complete.

All that's left is the paperwork

The AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways (SCOH) Special Committee on US Route Numbering periodically meets to review proposed changes to U.S. and Interstate route designations. The May 14, 2004 meeting covered several routes including the following:

Establishment of Interstate Route 670: Beginning at the intersection of Interstate Route 70 and a new facility under construction in Columbus, then easterly and northeasterly over the facility for 10.7 miles to the intersection of Interstate Route 270 east of Columbus. [10]

Now I-670 already existed before this point, but at 9.37 miles; the purpose of this "establishment" was probably to incorporate the new mileage completed in 2003.

In supporting documentation, the FHWA noted it approved the number west of I-71 on Feb. 7, 1975, and east of I-71 on Dec. 19, 1975. [10]

See also:

• Sept. 1955 "Yellow Book" map for Columbus (Adam Froehlig)
• I-670 East Plans (Sandor Gulyas; alternatives, plans)
• Columbus Virtual Roadtrip (Marc Fannin, with captions by Sandor Gulyas). Not just photos, but news and history as well.
• I-670 history (Sherman Cahal; good detail)
• I-670.org (Ohio DOT I-670 project news and background) (Thanks to Sandor Gulyas and Steve Anderson)
• Interstate Guide: I-670 (AARoads)

 

I-670  Kansas; Missouri (link)

2.81 miles [1], mostly elevated; from I-70 in Kansas, across I-35, to I-70 in Missouri. Proposed in 1971 or earlier; opened on January 18, 1990. [2].

On May 22, 1997, U2 filmed its "Do you feel loved" video on I-670, shutting the highway down for a few hours.

Sources

1. Route Log and Finder List - Interstate Highways, FHWA, Oct. 31, 2002.
2. Journal of Commerce, Jan. 22, 1990.
3. "After slow start, things are looking up along I-670." Columbus Dispatch, June 2, 1997.
4. Ohio DOT I-670 page, http://www.dot.state.oh.us/I-670/.
5. "Interstates have changed lives of Americans." Port Clinton [Ohio] News-Herald, July 7, 2003.
6. Gulyas, Sandor. "I-670 opening in Columbus, Sept 19." Online posting, misc.transport.road, Aug. 31, 2003.
7. Cahal, Sherman. "I-670 Guide." http://roads.cahaltech.com/page.php3?page=guides/oh/r_i670 (5 Sept. 2003)
8. "Interstate 670 reopens for traffic." Lancaster [Ohio] Eagle-Gazette, Sept. 20, 2003.
10. AASHTO SCOH. Report to the Special Committee on Route Numbering to the Executive Committee. May 15, 2004.