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COLUMBUS TRAILS AND GREENWAYS | WEST: NEXT SECTION | GOING NORTH/SOUTH: NEXT SECTION | 
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GOING WEST: NEXT SECTION | |||
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The I - 670 Bikeway was constructed as part of the I - 670 freeway project. It stretches from Cleveland Avenue at Fort Hayes via Jack Gibbs Blvd, Leonard Ave and dedicated trail to Airport Rd just south of Ohio Dominican University. It is currently the only major east-west trail in the area. For the most part, it was an underutilized part of the trail system but recent developments point to an increasing importance. The plan for a Downtown Connector to join the west end of this trail with the Lower Scioto Trail in Northbank Park will knit together the two major north-south trails, Olentangy-Scioto and Alum Creek.
The I - 670 Trail is also important since it will be a link in the Ohio to Erie Trail, a project that is putting together existing and new trails and routes from Cincinnati to Cleveland. The trail is currently planned to enter Franklin County from London in the south west, and connect with the Upper Scioto near Grandview. The Ohio to Erie Trail will travel with the Scioto Trail south to the proposed Downtown Connector and via that to the I-670 Bikeway which was recently linked to the lower Alum Creek Trail. When that trail is bridged between Ohio Dominican University and Easton, it will go north on that route, pick up the Westerville Bikeway and the Genoa Trail and on to points northeast.
The trail itself runs along the north side of Jack Gibbs Blvd/Leonard Ave primarily as an asphalt trail with concrete sections at underpasses, overpasses and cross streets. There are signalized crossings at St Clair Ave, Joyce Ave, on both sides of the overpass of I-670 (the second involves the trail turning and crossing Leonard Ave) and at 5th Avenue. There is an unsignalized stop for an off ramp as the trail passes under I - 71 / I - 670. Once over I - 670, the trail continues east, crossing Leonard and running along the north side of I - 670 as a dedicated trail turning north with the freeway (and being enclosed on one side or the other by sound-barrier walls) and passing over Nelson Rd. It meets with the lower Alum Creek Trail. which goes south along Nelson. The trail continue north, crossing 5th and splits at Airport Rd with an exit to that roadway and a dead-end spur that passes under the roadway--the future link to the trail five miles to the north in Easton.
The trail is relatively lightly traveled. It is about a decade old and there are some caution should be taken over cracks, settling and so on. The portion from the
I - 71 underpass to the I - 670 overpass shifts back and forth between concrete and asphalt. It has long stretches of straight or nearly straight roadway. The only crossings are the few major signalized ones. The wide open nature of the area tends to dissipate the road noise quite well. There is a slow rise of around thirty feet from the trail head at Fort Hayes to the I - 670 overpass. Once across Leonard, there is more of a trail feel however being on the road side of the sound barrier wall tends to make the nearby road noise a little more noticeable. Happily, the trail passes behind the wall at Nelson Rd and things quiet down.
 Trail connection via city streets. Usable connection exists.  Trail to Livingston Ave - Under construction to 3 Creeks Metro Park Proposed trail to link to dead end near Easton. |
07/18/2007