43 years ago today I-270 opened

[CRed05]

Getting around Columbus became easier on Aug. 20, 1975, when the final stretch of the I-270 Outerbelt — 2.3 miles between Hamilton Road and E. Broad Street — opened.

 

The speed limit, set after the gasoline crisis of 1973, was a federally mandated, gas-saving 55 mph. In 1991, the state General Assembly started tearing down the speed barrier, upping it to 65 on freeways outside city limits, including parts of I-270.

 

The ring around the city provided a less-congested way for through-traffic on I-70 and I-71 to negotiate the city and opened thousands of acres of farmland to development.

 

Even before it was finished, dozens of office buildings sprang up on the northern and eastern stretches, and the southern part, particularly around Rickenbacker Airport, became a distribution hub, home to numerous warehouses.

 

Planning began in the 1950s, and construction in 1962. Initial plans called for the north stretch to run near Morse Road through the Ohio School for the Deaf property, but that line was moved north of Worthington before construction started.

 

The federal government paid 90 percent of the project’s $175 million cost and stipulated that each bridge be at least 15 feet 6 inches tall — the clearance needed for an intercontinental ballistic missile on a truck. Interstate highways are funded as military roads, designed to move troops and equipment quickly in the event of attack.

 

On the day the freeway opened, Dispatch columnist Dick Otte told readers not to bother trying to be the first person to circumnavigate the Outerbelt; he had already done it twice — once in each direction.

 

The full Outerbelt, which was mostly four lanes then, was 55?miles long all the way around on the inner lane and 55.5 miles on the outer one. Otte said it took him 61 minutes on the inner lanes and 30?seconds longer on the outer ones.

 

“It also is a surprisingly scenic route, partially because of a large number of undeveloped grassy and wooded areas visible from the highway,” he wrote 37 years ago.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20120820/columbus-mileposts--aug-20-1975-i-270-gave-alternative-way-to-get-around-city

 

Interesting that it almost didn't go as far north as it does today.

[zeitgeist57]

On the day the freeway opened, Dispatch columnist Dick Otte told readers not to bother trying to be the first person to circumnavigate the Outerbelt; he had already done it twice — once in each direction.

 

What a Dick.

 

 

Another interesting 270 history...Robert Weiler, as a civil engineer when he learned about the I-270 project back in the '60s, bought up as much land as he could around the parcels for the highway, developed them into commercial/industrial parcels....and now you know the rest of the story.

 

http://www.rweiler.com/blog/northstar-buying-raw-land-for-sale/

[TTQ B4U]

I heard on Aug. 21, 1975, the first section of orange barrels were deployed for repairs and further expansion and have been there ever since.

[SpaceGhost]

I heard on Aug. 21, 1975, the first section of orange barrels were deployed for repairs and further expansion and have been there ever since.

 

:gabe:

[Mitch]

Would it kill them to clean up some of the damned litter? Roadkill tires everywhere.

[buelliganx1]

There used to be a gas station off of 23 on the north side I believe that would keep track of people's times around 270, not sure what the winner got but I always thought that was pretty cool. It would be interesting to see now what some of the faster times were

[Otis Nice]

Cool article. Thanks for sharing.

 

What a Dick.

 

 

 

Another interesting 270 history...Robert Weiler, as a civil engineer when he learned about the I-270 project back in the '60s, bought up as much land as he could around the parcels for the highway, developed them into commercial/industrial parcels....and now you know the rest of the story.

 

http://www.rweiler.com/blog/northstar-buying-raw-land-for-sale/

 

Nice. That's just a smart move.

 

Would it kill them to clean up some of the damned litter? Roadkill tires everywhere.

 

This. It'd be nice to have the outerbelt maintained a bit better, especially as the city continues to grow.

 

There used to be a gas station off of 23 on the north side I believe that would keep track of people's times around 270, not sure what the winner got but I always thought that was pretty cool. It would be interesting to see now what some of the faster times were

 

I once made a lap all the way around in 7.

[Mace1647545504]

As a kid some buds and I rode on parts of it, before it opened, from what would be around parsons ave to just past alum creek and then from parsons ave to 62 on bicycles.

 

mace

[Turbs3000]

What a Dick.

 

 

Another interesting 270 history...Robert Weiler, as a civil engineer when he learned about the I-270 project back in the '60s, bought up as much land as he could around the parcels for the highway, developed them into commercial/industrial parcels....and now you know the rest of the story. [emoji38]

 

http://www.rweiler.com/blog/northstar-buying-raw-land-for-sale/

And the only reason Casto is as big as they are... they bribed a number of people to get the locations of the exits and bought up all the farm land around them

 

Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk

[Cordell]

“It also is a surprisingly scenic route, partially because of a large number of undeveloped grassy and wooded areas visible from the highway,” he wrote 37 years ago.[/Quote]

 

 

Well there sure isn't much scenic anything around it today. There is a small section near alum creek, we used to ride ATVs back in there in the 80s. The majority of 270 is buildings and sound walls.