(This story was updated to add new information and to change or add a photo or video.)
Crews working for the Ohio Department of Transportation tore up the intersection of Front and Mound streets in downtown Columbus earlier this week, snarling traffic near Interstates 70 and 71.
Front Street is down to one lane in either direction near the construction, and Mound Street is down to a single lane for the westbound one-way street. The construction is part of ODOT’s Downtown Ramp Up project, ODOT spokesperson Hannah Salem said.
Salem did not say what the crews are doing or how long the construction will last.
Road work at Mound, Front streets snarls already-backed up Downtown traffic
The lane reductions have backed traffic up on Front and Mound streets as drivers try to navigate the new setup. Any car trying to turn left onto Mound Street when heading north on Front Street can back traffic up through multiple lights, as the cars behind them have no choice but to wait for them to turn.
Cars also park along the outside of the Franklin County courthouse parking garage on the west side of Front Street, taking up lane space and forcing cars to drive around them. At times on the morning of March 26, cars heading south on Front Street had to drive into the northbound lanes to get around the parked cars, forcing northbound traffic to stop.
Latest work part of ongoing project to revamp Downtown roads
Front and Mound streets became even more essential parts of the Downtown road network in 2025, when ODOT reopened the Front Street bridge and opened two new interstate ramps off of Mound Street. Drivers used to get on I-70 West off of Third Street, but that ramp permanently closed in December, shifting traffic to Mound Street.
Meanwhile, traffic on the High Street bridge, a block east of Front Street, has been reduced to one lane in either direction as ODOT contractors work to rebuild it. Half of the bridge was demolished in the fall. Crews plan to rebuild the bridge one half at a time, so traffic can remain moving through it as work continues.
The Third and Fourth street bridges over the interstates will also be replaced as a part of Downtown Ramp Up.
What is Downtown Ramp Up?
Downtown Ramp Up is ODOT’s decade-long $1.4 billion project to revamp the highways around downtown Columbus. Work on the project started in 2010 and is set to continue into the 2030s.
The new Front Street bridge and highway ramps on Mound Street are part of Phase 4R/6R of Downtown Ramp Up. This $280 million phase started in 2022 and is set for completion in the fall.
Transportation and neighborhoods reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@dispatch.com, @NathanRHart on X and nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ODOT project tears up Front, Mound streets in downtown Columbus
Reporting by Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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