Downtown Split Constraints and Spring Street Terminal Closure Define Friday Commute

Commute Overview for Friday, February 27

Good morning, Columbus. As we conclude the final week of February 2026, the morning drive continues to be shaped by the massive "Downtown Ramp Up" reconstruction and several critical transit adjustments that took effect earlier this week. Commuters heading into the city center should expect significant lane restrictions and altered boarding locations for public transit.

Major Highway Impacts: I-70/I-71 and the Downtown Split

The most substantial impact remains the ongoing I-70 pavement reconstruction. All I-70 westbound traffic is currently shifted to the eastbound side of the roadway. This head-to-head configuration maintains only two lanes of traffic in each direction. Motorists are advised that this pattern will persist through Fall 2026, creating a permanent bottleneck for those traveling between the Madison County line and Hilliard Rome Road.

Additionally, the recently opened I-71 southbound flyover has improved merging for those crossing the Scioto River, but construction remains active on the High Street, 3rd Street, and 4th Street bridges. Expect heavy congestion where the new flyover merges with I-70 westbound. On the north side, overnight restrictions at the I-270 and I-71 interchange should be cleared by the 5:00 a.m. rush, but travelers may still encounter residual slow-downs near the ramp to I-270 westbound.

COTA Service Alerts: Spring Street Terminal Closure

Public transit riders should be aware that the Spring Street Terminal is now closed for pantograph construction as of Monday, February 23. This closure is expected to last until May 1, 2026. This affects several major lines, including:

• Lines 4, 6, 7, and 10
• Express Lines 51, 52, and 61

Passengers must use alternate boarding locations nearby. Please check for posted signage at the terminal for the exact location of your temporary stop. In the northern part of the city, Line 1 (Short Turn) remains on a temporary reroute due to construction at Riverside Hospital. This reroute is scheduled to conclude on March 2, so today represents the final Friday for this particular service change.

Local Roadworks and Secondary Routes

Beyond the major interstates, several key arteries are seeing reduced capacity. Trabue Road remains reduced to one lane in each direction over the Scioto River for bridge rehabilitation; this work is not expected to finish until October 2026. On the east side, Brice Road over I-70 is also restricted to one lane each way. While the overnight ramp closures at the Far East Freeway interchange have reopened for the morning commute, the reduced lane capacity on the bridge itself will cause delays for those entering the I-70 westbound ramp during the peak 8:00 a.m. hour.

Commuter Advice

With no home games at Nationwide Arena this evening, the Friday afternoon rush should be typical for the season. However, given the head-to-head traffic downtown, a single fender-bender can cause multi-mile backups. Commuters are encouraged to utilize the OHGO real-time cameras before leaving the office to monitor the downtown split and the I-270 outerbelt.