The Ohio Department of Transportation held a Stakeholder Meeting Announcement last night at the Lincoln Theatre to provide an update on the I-70/71 “Split Fix” Project. Most of the major components of the project remained unchanged from announcements that took place in January, but some new details were provided regarding the I-670-style design of the highway trenches, the new feeder streets, and the beautification and streetscaping efforts.
The Q&A/Feedback session that followed the presentation revealed that few people seemed happy with the project at all.
Some folks questioned the methods behind deciding which portions of the streets would get trees, while others expressed displeasure about the lack of highway caps that had been promised by ODOT earlier in the project’s lifespan. ODOT officials were quick to state that the new retaining walls would be constructed for highway cap development in the future if funds were to become available, and added that the greenspaces, trees, and other beautification efforts were not completely finalized at this point in time.
The first phase of the project is slated to begin sometime in 2010 with work starting along I-71 between I-670 and Spring Street. ODOT officials said that community involvement would be an ongoing process and that new design standards could be worked out with the City of Columbus.
Attendees of the meeting were sent home with comment/feedback forms seeking input on the design standards being introduced at the meeting. For anyone else interested in supplying additional feedback to ODOT, the comments forms are being sent to Ferzan Ahmed, Project Manager, ODOT District 6, 400 E. William Street, Delaware, OH, 43015 – Phone: 740-833-8367 – Fax: 740-887-4605 – email: [email protected].