Interstate 71

Interstate 71 (I-71) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the midwestern United States that spans approximately 344 miles (554 km) from its southern terminus at the junction of Interstate 64 and Interstate 65 in Louisville, Kentucky, to its northern terminus at Interstate 90 near downtown Cleveland, Ohio.^[1] The route primarily travels through the state of Ohio for about 248 miles (399 km), connecting key urban centers including Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, while the remaining 97 miles (156 km) traverse northern Kentucky along the Ohio River corridor.^[2][3] In Kentucky, I-71 begins in urban Louisville and angles northeast through rolling terrain and rural areas, crossing the Ohio River via the Brent Spence Bridge into Cincinnati, where it intersects the northern terminus of Interstate 471 before continuing northeast. Throughout Ohio, the highway serves as a vital artery for both passenger and freight traffic, designated as a Tier I corridor in the National Highway Freight Network due to its role in transporting goods between manufacturing hubs, ports, and distribution centers across the Midwest.^[1] It features a mix of urban freeways with complex interchanges, such as the "Big X" in Columbus where it intersects Interstate 70, and more rural sections with scenic views of farmland and the Appalachian foothills.^[4] I-71 supports significant economic activity by linking industrial regions, including automotive and steel production in Ohio with logistics centers in Kentucky, and carries high volumes of commercial vehicles, contributing to regional connectivity within the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley areas.^[4] The route is maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Ohio Department of Transportation, with ongoing improvements addressing congestion, safety, and capacity in high-traffic zones like the Cincinnati approaches and the Columbus metropolitan area, including a $50 million widening project from KY 329 to KY 393 in Louisville, begun in November 2025, to expand from four to six lanes.^[5][6]

Route description

Kentucky

Jefferson County I-71 begins at milepost 0 in Louisville at the Kennedy Interchange with I-64 and I-65. The exits in Jefferson County are listed below. Oldham County I-71 enters Oldham County at milepost 9 and spans to milepost 25. Henry County I-71 traverses Henry County from milepost 25 to 32. Trimble County I-71 crosses Trimble County from milepost 32 to 37. Carroll County I-71 enters Carroll County at milepost 37 and extends to milepost 45. Gallatin County I-71 runs through Gallatin County from milepost 45 to 62, passing near Kentucky Speedway. Boone County I-71 enters Boone County at milepost 62 and continues to milepost 84, where it joins I-75 in a concurrency. Kenton County I-71 / I-75 concurrency spans Kenton County from milepost 84 to 97. I-71 exits Kentucky at milepost 97 over the Brent Spence Bridge into Ohio, where it continues independently with its own exit numbering.^[3]

Ohio

Interstate 71 enters Ohio from Kentucky at mile 0 in Hamilton County near Cincinnati. The route spans 248 miles (399 km) through the state, with exits numbered sequentially from south to north. It begins as an urban freeway through Cincinnati, transitioning to suburban areas north of the city, then passing through rolling farmland and Appalachian foothills in central Ohio before reaching the urban core of Cleveland. Key interchanges include I-275 at Exit 17 in Hamilton County, the "Big X" with I-70 at Exits 109A/B–111 in Franklin County, and I-90 at Exit 247B in Cuyahoga County. A proposed interchange at Boston Road in Medina County was considered to address local traffic but stalled following repeal of its legislative mandate in April 2025; as of November 2025, it is not proceeding due to opposition.^[11][12] The following is a comprehensive list of exits, organized by county and approximate milepost, based on official state transportation data and route logs.^[13]

Hamilton County (Mile 0–20)

• Exit 1A: Second Street – Downtown Cincinnati^[14]
• Exit 1B: Third Street – Downtown Cincinnati, Riverfront^[14]
• Exit 2: U.S. Route 42 north / Reading Road / Eden Park Drive – Cincinnati^[14]
• Exit 3: McMicken Avenue / Liberty Street – Cincinnati (northbound only; southbound access via local streets)^[15]
• Exit 5: Dana Avenue / Montgomery Road – Cincinnati^[14]
• Exit 6: SR 561 (Glendale Milford Road) – Springdale^[13]
• Exit 9: SR 4 (Springfield Pike) – Springdale^[15]
• Exit 11: SR 747 (Princeton Glendale Road) – Glendale^[13]
• Exit 14: SR 128 (Hamilton Avenue) – Evendale^[13]
• Exit 19: SR 93 (Sharon Road) – Sharonville^[13]

Butler County (Mile 20–25)

• Exit 24: SR 129 (Hamilton Cleveland Road) – Fairfield^[13]
• Exit 28: SR 63 (Monroe Hamilton Road) – Monroe^[13]

Warren County (Mile 25–45)

• Exit 25: SR 48 south – Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 28: SR 48 north – Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 30: Innovation Way – Lebanon Business Park^[13]
• Exit 32: SR 123 (Corwin Avenue) – Lebanon^[16]
• Exit 34: SR 63 east – Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 36: SR 741 (Monroe Lebanon Road) – South Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 39: SR 73 – Monroe^[13]
• Exit 42: SR 222 – Butlerville^[13]
• Exit 45: Western Row Road / Kings Island Drive – Mason (serves Kings Island amusement park)^[13]

Clinton County (Mile 45–55)

• Exit 45: SR 380 – Clarksville^[13]
• Exit 50: SR 350 – Cuba^[16]
• Exit 54: SR 72 – Wilmington (northbound entrance only)^[13]

Fayette County (Mile 55–65)

• Exit 58: SR 38 – Washington Court House^[13]
• Exit 65: U.S. Route 35 – Washington Court House^[16]
• Exit 69: SR 41 – Jeffersonville^[13]

Pickaway County (Mile 65–85)

• Exit 75: US 22 / SR 56 – Washington Court House^[13]
• Exit 79: SR 159 – Circleville^[13]
• Exit 83: Tarlton Road – Tarlton^[13]

Franklin County (Mile 85–120)

• Exit 86: SR 104 – Lockbourne^[13]
• Exit 91: Gender Road – Groveport^[13]
• Exit 94: U.S. Route 62 – Grove City^[13]
• Exit 100: I-270 – Columbus (outerbelt)^[16]
• Exit 101: I-270 west – Grove City^[16]
• Exit 105: Greenlawn Avenue – Columbus^[15]
• Exit 108A: U.S. Route 40 west / I-70 west – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 108B: U.S. Route 40 east / I-70 east – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 109A: I-70 east – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[17]
• Exit 109B: High Street – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 111: I-70 west – Columbus (Innerbelt end)^[15]
• Exit 112: SR 315 / 5th Avenue – Columbus^[13]
• Exit 115: SR 665 (Lane Road) – Upper Arlington^[13]
• Exit 117: SR 257 – Worthington^[13]
• Exit 119: SR 710 – Polaris (northbound exit/southbound entrance)^[13]

Delaware County (Mile 120–135)

• Exit 121: SR 37 – Sunbury^[13]
• Exit 124: Big Walnut Road – Orange Township (proposed interchange under planning; timeline 2030–2040)^[18][19]
• Exit 128: US 36 / SR 3 / SR 37 – Delaware^[13]
• Exit 131: US 36 / SR 37 – Sunbury / Delaware^[13]
• Exit 133: SR 521 – Galena^[13]

Knox County (Mile 135–150)

• Exit 135: SR 61 – Centerburg^[13]
• Exit 141: SR 3 – Howard^[13]
• Exit 148: SR 13 – Mount Vernon^[13]

Ashland County (Mile 150–165)

• Exit 151: SR 39 – Lucas^[13]
• Exit 155: SR 95 – Bailey Lakes^[13]
• Exit 159: SR 179 – Ashland^[13]
• Exit 162: US 250 – Ashland^[13]

Richland County (Mile 165–185)

• Exit 165: SR 97 – Mansfield^[13]
• Exit 169: SR 39 / SR 603 – Mansfield^[13]
• Exit 171: SR 13 – Lexington^[13]
• Exit 176: US 30 – Mansfield^[13]
• Exit 178: SR 39 – Ontario^[13]
• Exit 182: SR 309 – Mansfield^[13]

Medina County (Mile 185–220)

• Exit 186: SR 301 – West Salem^[13]
• Exit 192: SR 162 – Spencer^[13]
• Exit 198: SR 57 – Lodi^[13]
• Exit 204: SR 252 – Seville, Brunswick^[13]
• Exit 209: I-76 / US 224 – Akron, Lodi^[13]
• Exit 218: SR 18 – Medina, Akron^[13]
• Exit 220: I-271 – Medina / Strongsville (access to auxiliary route)^[20]
• Exit 222: SR 3 / SR 94 – Hinckley, Medina^[13]
• Exit 226: SR 303 – Brunswick, Hinckley^[13]

Cuyahoga County (Mile 220–248)

• Exit 231: SR 82 (Royalton Road) – Strongsville, North Royalton^[13]
• Exit 233: I-80 / Ohio Turnpike – Strongsville^[13]
• Exit 234: US 42 (Pearl Road) – Strongsville, Parma Heights^[13]
• Exit 235: Bagley Road – Middleburg Heights, Berea^[21]
• Exit 237: Snow Road / Engle Road – Cleveland Hopkins International Airport^[15]
• Exit 238: I-480 – Brook Park / Middleburg Heights^[13]
• Exit 240: West 150th Street – Cleveland^[13]
• Exit 242A: West 130th Street – Cleveland^[13]
• Exit 242B: Bellaire Road – Cleveland^[13]
• Exit 244: Denison Avenue / West 65th Street – Cleveland^[13]
• Exit 245: US 42 (Pearl Road / West 25th Street / Fulton Road) – Cleveland^[22]
• Exit 247A: West 14th Street / Clark Avenue – Cleveland (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 247B: I-90 / I-490 – Cleveland (northern terminus)^[15]

History

Planning and designation

The Interstate Highway System, including Interstate 71, was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which allocated federal funding for a nationwide network of high-mobility, limited-access roads to support national defense, interstate commerce, and economic development. I-71 was designated as a primary north-south corridor in the Midwest, envisioned to link the industrial and commercial hubs of Louisville, Kentucky, and Cleveland, Ohio, over a total length of 345.57 miles to enhance regional connectivity and freight movement between these key economic centers. In the early 1950s, preliminary proposals emerged for a modern freeway to replace outdated alignments, specifically segments of U.S. Route 42 in Kentucky and State Route 3 in Ohio, which had long served as the primary north-south linkages but suffered from congestion, inadequate capacity, and safety issues amid growing post-World War II traffic volumes. Route selection prioritized efficient alignment through relatively flat terrain in the Ohio River Valley, deliberately avoiding the rugged Appalachian Mountains to the east, which would have increased construction costs and engineering challenges. A critical decision involved choosing the Ohio River crossing at Cincinnati via what became the Brent Spence Bridge site, selected over upstream or downstream alternatives to directly integrate with existing urban infrastructure and major population centers like Cincinnati and Columbus.^[23] The official numbering plan for the Interstate System, including I-71, received approval from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in August 1957, formalizing its path from the Louisville area northward to Lake Erie. Preliminary segments of I-71 opened and were signed in 1960, with full route approval and integration into the national system completed by AASHTO in the early 1960s following detailed state submissions and federal reviews.^[24]

Construction in Kentucky

Construction of Interstate 71 in Kentucky began in November 1965 as part of the federal Interstate Highway System, with the state overseeing the project through the Kentucky Department of Highways (now the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet). The route spanned approximately 107 miles from Louisville northward to the Ohio state line near Walton, including a 29-mile concurrency with Interstate 75 across the Ohio River via the Brent Spence Bridge, which had opened in 1963. Funding came primarily from federal appropriations under the Interstate Highway Act, supplemented by state contributions, though specific cost figures for the Kentucky segment remain undocumented in available records.^[3][25] The initial segment opened in December 1966, extending from the southern terminus at the I-64 interchange (known as Spaghetti Junction) in downtown Louisville northward to Zorn Avenue, marking the first completed portion through the urban core and incorporating elevated viaducts to navigate the city's dense infrastructure. This phase addressed significant urban challenges, including right-of-way acquisition amid residential and commercial areas, which caused temporary disruptions to local traffic and businesses in Jefferson County. By 1968, the route had progressed with the opening of the interchange at I-264 (Watterson Expressway) in eastern Louisville and a northern segment from Boone County to Exit 44 near Carrollton, easing access between rural northern counties and the Louisville metropolitan area. These developments required farmland acquisitions in counties like Oldham, Henry, and Trimble, balancing agricultural impacts with improved regional connectivity.^[25][26] The northern sections, integrating with the existing I-75 concurrency and the Brent Spence Bridge to reach the Ohio state line, were finalized in early 1969, completing the full Kentucky alignment by July of that year. This connected seamlessly to ongoing Ohio construction at the border, establishing I-71 as a vital north-south corridor. Upon completion, the highway supplanted U.S. Route 42 as the primary linkage between Louisville and Cincinnati, reducing travel times and enhancing freight movement while adhering to 1960s design standards for speed and safety.^[3][25]

Construction in Ohio

Construction of Interstate 71 in Ohio began in the late 1950s as part of the national Interstate Highway System, with early segments opening in rural and suburban areas to facilitate multi-phase development across the state's urban centers and countryside. The first portions, including a section near Columbus between Stimmel Road and Harrisburg, opened in July 1960 at a cost of approximately $9.3 million, initially signed as State Route 1 (SR 1) pending full Interstate designation.^[27] By fall 1962, additional rural segments in central Ohio, such as the stretch between Ashland and West Salem, were completed with four 12-foot lanes, emphasizing straight alignments to enable high-speed travel through farmland and rolling terrain.^[28] In southern Ohio, engineering efforts focused on navigating the hilly terrain around Cincinnati, where the route's alignment required extensive grading and viaduct construction to handle the region's steep inclines and connect to the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River, providing a vital link to Kentucky.^[29] The segment from Cincinnati northward to Lebanon in Warren County saw initial construction start in 1962, integrating with I-75 via the shared Brent Spence Bridge, which opened in November 1963.^[30] Around Columbus, developers addressed urban sprawl by building phased connections, with downtown links opening by 1965, replacing segments of SR 3 as the main north-south corridor between major cities.^[31] Northern Ohio's construction, particularly the Innerbelt project in Cleveland during the 1970s, involved complex routing through dense industrial zones, including new bridges over the Cuyahoga River starting in 1954 and full viaduct openings by 1961 to tie into I-90.^[32] Rural straights in central Ohio, constructed primarily in the 1960s, prioritized long, level grades to bypass local roads like SR 3, enhancing efficiency for freight and passenger traffic. The entire 248-mile Ohio portion of I-71 achieved full completion in 1975, marking the end of original build-out efforts that transformed regional connectivity.^[33]

Rebuilding and widening projects

In Ohio, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) initiated a comprehensive rebuilding and widening initiative for Interstate 71 between Columbus and Cleveland in the late 1990s, focusing on pavement rehabilitation, bridge reconstructions, and capacity expansions to address growing traffic demands and structural deterioration. This effort, which encompassed approximately 118 miles, was largely completed by 2009 at a total cost of $559.4 million, transforming the corridor from predominantly four lanes to six lanes in each direction while incorporating modern safety features such as improved interchanges and drainage systems.^[34] A key component of this program targeted the final 25-mile segment south of Cleveland in Morrow and Delaware counties, where construction from 2012 to 2015 added a third lane in each direction for $144 million, eliminating the last two-lane bottleneck and reducing congestion by up to 20% during peak hours through better traffic flow and ramp realignments.^[35] In the Cincinnati area, the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project, an ongoing multibillion-dollar rehabilitation extending into the 2020s, includes deck replacements on the existing Brent Spence Bridge, addition of auxiliary lanes, and redesigned ramps over eight miles of I-71 and I-75 to separate local and through traffic, aiming to alleviate bottlenecks that contribute to over 180,000 daily vehicles crossing the Ohio River. In 2024, the project was awarded $1.635 billion in federal grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, enabling construction to begin in early 2026.^[36] Environmental mitigations in this corridor incorporate enhanced stormwater management, creation of new green spaces, and integration of pedestrian and bicycle paths to minimize habitat disruption and improve air quality along urban waterways.^[37] In Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has pursued several widening projects along I-71 in the Louisville metropolitan area during the 2010s as part of the I-Move Kentucky initiative, adding one lane in each direction between I-265 in Jefferson County and KY 329 in Oldham County to expand the route to six lanes total, enhancing capacity for freight and commuter traffic while upgrading shoulders and barriers for safety.^[38] Further north in Boone County, improvements include the addition of auxiliary lanes on I-71/I-75 from the US 42 interchange to KY 536 (Mt. Zion Road), completed to extend merging distances and reduce weave-related accidents in a high-growth suburban corridor handling over 100,000 vehicles daily.^[39] A notable recent completion is the new fully directional interchange at Exit 20 with KY 2857 (La Grange Parkway) in Oldham County, opened in July 2024 after construction began in 2022, which provides direct access to industrial areas and eases congestion on local roads by incorporating loop ramps and noise barriers as environmental safeguards.^[40] These Kentucky projects collectively prioritize traffic relief by increasing throughput by 25-30% in targeted segments, alongside mitigations such as wetland preservation and erosion controls to protect the Ohio River watershed.^[41]

Exit lists

Kentucky

Jefferson County I-71 begins at milepost 0 in Louisville at the Kennedy Interchange with I-64 and I-65. The exits in Jefferson County are listed below. Oldham County I-71 enters Oldham County at milepost 9 and spans to milepost 25. Henry County I-71 traverses Henry County from milepost 25 to 32. Trimble County I-71 crosses Trimble County from milepost 32 to 37. Carroll County I-71 enters Carroll County at milepost 37 and extends to milepost 45. Gallatin County I-71 runs through Gallatin County from milepost 45 to 62, passing near Kentucky Speedway. Boone County I-71 enters Boone County at milepost 62 and continues to milepost 84, where it joins I-75 in a concurrency. Kenton County I-71 / I-75 concurrency spans Kenton County from milepost 84 to 97. I-71 exits Kentucky at milepost 97 over the Brent Spence Bridge into Ohio, where it continues independently with its own exit numbering.^[3]

Ohio

Interstate 71 enters Ohio from Kentucky at mile 0 in Hamilton County near Cincinnati. The route spans 248 miles through the state, with exits numbered sequentially from south to north. The following is a comprehensive list of exits, organized by county and approximate milepost, based on official state transportation data and route logs. Key interchanges include I-275 at Exit 6 in Hamilton County, I-70 at Exit 111 in Franklin County, and I-90 at Exit 247 in Cuyahoga County. An interchange at Boston Road in Medina County is under study as of 2025 for potential addition to address local traffic congestion.^[42][43]

Hamilton County (Mile 0–20)

• Exit 1A: Second Street – Downtown Cincinnati^[14]
• Exit 1B: Third Street – Downtown Cincinnati, Riverfront^[14]
• Exit 2: U.S. Route 42 north / Reading Road / Eden Park Drive – Cincinnati^[14]
• Exit 3: McMicken Avenue / Liberty Street – Cincinnati (northbound only; southbound access via local streets)^[15]
• Exit 5: Dana Avenue / Montgomery Road – Cincinnati^[14]
• Exit 6: Interstate 275 – Cincinnati (west to Kentucky, east to Dayton)^[13]
• Exit 7: SR 561 (Glendale Milford Road) – Springdale^[13]
• Exit 9: SR 4 (Springfield Pike) – Springdale^[15]
• Exit 11: SR 747 (Princeton Glendale Road) – Glendale^[13]
• Exit 14: SR 128 (Hamilton Avenue) – Evendale^[13]
• Exit 19: SR 93 (Sharon Road) – Sharonville^[13]

Butler County (Mile 20–25)

• Exit 20: SR 129 (Hamilton Cleveland Road) – Fairfield^[13]
• Exit 22: SR 63 (Monroe Hamilton Road) – Monroe^[13]
• Exit 24: Western Row Road / Kings Island Drive – Mason (serves Kings Island amusement park)^[13]

Warren County (Mile 25–45)

• Exit 25: SR 48 south – Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 28: SR 48 north – Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 30: Innovation Way – Lebanon Business Park^[13]
• Exit 32: SR 123 (Corwin Avenue) – Lebanon^[16]
• Exit 34: SR 63 east – Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 36: SR 741 (Monroe Lebanon Road) – South Lebanon^[13]
• Exit 39: SR 73 – Monroe^[13]
• Exit 42: SR 222 – Butlerville^[13]

Clinton County (Mile 45–55)

• Exit 45: SR 380 – Clarksville^[13]
• Exit 50: SR 350 – Cuba^[16]
• Exit 54: SR 72 – Wilmington (northbound entrance only)^[13]

Fayette County (Mile 55–65)

• Exit 58: SR 38 – Washington Court House^[13]
• Exit 65: U.S. Route 35 – Washington Court House^[16]
• Exit 69: SR 41 – Jeffersonville^[13]

Pickaway County (Mile 65–85)

• Exit 75: US 22 / SR 56 – Washington Court House^[13]
• Exit 79: SR 159 – Circleville^[13]
• Exit 83: Tarlton Road – Tarlton^[13]

Franklin County (Mile 85–120)

• Exit 86: SR 104 – Lockbourne^[13]
• Exit 91: Gender Road – Groveport^[13]
• Exit 94: U.S. Route 62 – Grove City^[13]
• Exit 100: I-270 – Columbus (outerbelt)^[16]
• Exit 101: I-270 west – Grove City^[16]
• Exit 105: Greenlawn Avenue – Columbus^[15]
• Exit 108A: U.S. Route 40 west / I-70 west – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 108B: U.S. Route 40 east / I-70 east – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 109A: I-70 east – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[17]
• Exit 109B: High Street – Columbus (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 111: I-70 west – Columbus (Innerbelt end)^[15]
• Exit 112: SR 315 / 5th Avenue – Columbus^[13]
• Exit 115: SR 665 (Lane Road) – Upper Arlington^[13]
• Exit 117: SR 257 – Worthington^[13]
• Exit 119: SR 710 – Polaris (northbound exit/southbound entrance)^[13]

Delaware County (Mile 120–135)

• Exit 121: SR 37 – Sunbury^[13]
• Exit 124: Big Walnut Road – Orange Township (proposed interchange under planning)^[18]
• Exit 128: US 36 / SR 3 / SR 37 – Delaware^[13]
• Exit 131: US 36 / SR 37 – Sunbury / Delaware^[13]
• Exit 133: SR 521 – Galena^[13]

Knox County (Mile 135–150)

• Exit 135: SR 61 – Centerburg^[13]
• Exit 141: SR 3 – Howard^[13]
• Exit 148: SR 13 – Mount Vernon^[13]

Ashland County (Mile 150–165)

• Exit 151: SR 39 – Lucas^[13]
• Exit 155: SR 95 – Bailey Lakes^[13]
• Exit 159: SR 179 – Ashland^[13]
• Exit 162: US 250 – Ashland^[13]

Richland County (Mile 165–185)

• Exit 165: SR 97 – Mansfield^[13]
• Exit 169: SR 39 / SR 603 – Mansfield^[13]
• Exit 171: SR 13 – Lexington^[13]
• Exit 176: US 30 – Mansfield^[13]
• Exit 178: SR 39 – Ontario^[13]
• Exit 182: SR 309 – Mansfield^[13]

Medina County (Mile 185–220)

• Exit 186: SR 301 – West Salem^[13]
• Exit 192: SR 162 – Spencer^[13]
• Exit 198: SR 57 – Lodi^[13]
• Exit 204: SR 252 – Brunswick^[13]
• Exit 209: SR 303 – Brunswick^[44]
• Exit 216: SR 94 – Strongsville (southbound exit/northbound entrance)^[13]
• Exit 218: SR 18 – Medina^[13]
• Exit 222: I-271 – Medina / Strongsville (access to auxiliary route)^[20]
• Exit 226: Boston Road – Brunswick / Strongsville (under study for full interchange in 2025)^[43]

Cuyahoga County (Mile 220–248)

• Exit 228: SR 94 – North Royalton^[13]
• Exit 230: SR 82 (Royalton Road) – Strongsville^[13]
• Exit 235: Bagley Road – Middleburg Heights^[21]
• Exit 238: I-480 – Brook Park / Middleburg Heights^[13]
• Exit 241: Berea Freeway / SR 237 – Berea / Middleburg Heights (Cleveland Hopkins International Airport access)^[15]
• Exit 243: SR 176 (Pearl Road) / US 42 – Parma^[13]
• Exit 245: US 42 (Pearl Road / West 25th Street) – Cleveland^[22]
• Exit 246: SR 176 (Jennings Freeway) – Cleveland^[45]
• Exit 247A: West 14th Street – Cleveland (Innerbelt)^[15]
• Exit 247B: I-90 / I-490 – Cleveland (northern terminus)^[15]

Auxiliary routes

I-271

Interstate 271 (I-271) is a 40.22-mile-long auxiliary Interstate Highway in northeastern Ohio that serves as an eastern bypass for the suburbs of Cleveland and Akron.^[46] It connects Interstate 71 in Medina County to Interstate 90 in Lake County, providing a key north-south corridor through Summit, Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Lake counties.^[20] Signed as an auxiliary route of I-71, it facilitates regional travel by avoiding the denser urban sections of the parent route and Interstate 77.^[46] The highway begins at a directional interchange with I-71 south of Medina and proceeds northeast, passing through rural areas and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park before curving around the eastern side of Akron in Summit County. It features a major interchange with Ohio State Route 8 in Macedonia, supporting access to the city center. Entering Cuyahoga County, I-271 joins a 4-mile concurrency with I-480, before splitting off and continuing northward through suburbs like Bedford Heights, Warrensville Heights, and Beachwood. The route ends at a complex interchange with I-90 near Willoughby Hills, integrating into the broader Cleveland metropolitan connectivity.^[20] Primarily constructed to relieve traffic on I-71 and I-77 through Cleveland, I-271 handles significant regional freight and commuter volumes as an alternative pathway around the urban core.^[46] Its major interchanges, including those with SR 8 and the I-480 overlap, enhance links to local and industrial areas. The freeway opened in segments during the 1970s following planning in the 1960s, with the full route operational by 1975.^[20] To address growing traffic, recent widening projects have expanded lanes in high-volume sections, such as a 6-mile stretch through Cuyahoga and Summit counties completed in 2020.^[47][48]

I-471

Interstate 471 (I-471) is a short auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves as a connector between downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, and the northern Kentucky suburbs, spanning a total length of 5.75 miles (9.25 km), with 0.73 miles (1.18 km) in Ohio and 5.02 miles (8.08 km) in Kentucky.^[49] It begins at a junction with its parent route, Interstate 71 (I-71), near the Lytle Tunnel in Cincinnati's Central Business District and heads southeast, crossing the Ohio River via the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge into Kentucky.^[49] In Ohio, the route briefly passes through the Walnut Hills neighborhood before reaching the river crossing.^[49] Upon entering Kentucky near Newport, I-471 travels through urban and suburban areas, including the cities of Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Southgate, and Fort Thomas, providing direct access to these northern Kentucky communities from downtown Cincinnati.^[49] The highway ends at an interchange with Interstate 275 (I-275, Cincinnati Beltway) in Highland Heights, facilitating connections to the broader regional roadway network. South of this terminus, the freeway continues as unsigned Kentucky Route 471 (KY 471) for approximately 0.70 miles to U.S. Route 27 (US 27), integrating with local Kentucky roadways.^[49] As an auxiliary route to I-71, I-471 is officially signed with auxiliary shields indicating its relation to the parent Interstate, emphasizing its role as a spur providing an alternative urban link across the Ohio River.^[49] Construction on I-471 began in the early 1970s, with the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge completed and opened to traffic in 1977 after starting in 1971; the full freeway opened in stages during the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the final segment from Grand Avenue to US 27 dedicated in December 1980 and extensions completed by 1981. In February 2025, a fire damaged the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, closing southbound lanes for approximately 100 days until May 2025.^[49][50] The route's development faced challenges including land acquisition issues and local opposition in Newport, but it ultimately enhanced connectivity between Ohio and Kentucky.^[49]

Significance and impact

Economic and cultural role

Interstate 71 serves as a major freight corridor spanning 344 miles from Louisville, Kentucky, to Cleveland, Ohio, facilitating both north-south and east-west movement of goods as part of the Primary Highway Freight System (PHFS) in the National Highway Freight Network.^[51] In Ohio, it supports the automotive manufacturing sector, notably through proximity to facilities like the Honda-LG Energy Solution electric vehicle battery plant in Fayette County, which represents a $4.4 billion investment and is expected to employ over 2,200 workers.^[52][53] In Kentucky, the route bolsters logistics operations in Louisville, a key hub at the confluence of Interstates 64, 65, and 71, where the city's infrastructure handles substantial e-commerce and distribution volumes, including access to the Ohio River port for intermodal transport linking to Great Lakes shipping in Cleveland.^[54][55] Annual average daily traffic exceeds 150,000 vehicles, including 17,000 trucks, along the I-70/I-71 corridor near Columbus, underscoring its role in regional freight efficiency.^[56] The highway enhances trade links by connecting Kentucky's bourbon distilleries and agricultural outputs to Ohio's steel production and farming regions, enabling efficient distribution to broader Midwest markets.^[57] For instance, the Kentucky I-71 Corridor has attracted billions in steel manufacturing investments from companies like Nucor and North American Stainless, while Ohio's agricultural sector benefits from streamlined access to southern markets via the route.^[57] This connectivity has spurred urban development in suburbs along I-71, such as Florence, Kentucky, where the I-75/71 corridor's strategic location has driven business expansion and infrastructure growth, and Medina, Ohio, where interchanges like I-71 and State Route 18 support commercial projects including warehouses and innovation parks.^[58][59][60] Culturally, I-71 fosters connections between communities, notably enabling sports rivalries known as the "I-71 Rivalry," including the NFL's Battle of Ohio between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, which has drawn intense fan engagement since 1970.^[61] Similarly, the Ohio Cup baseball series between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians highlights interstate competition among teams in cities linked by the highway. The route also promotes tourism, allowing travelers to journey from Louisville's historic distilleries and attractions to Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Lake Erie waterfront, boosting regional cultural exchanges and visitor economies.

Safety and major incidents

Interstate 71 has one of the highest fatality rates among U.S. interstates on a per-mile basis, particularly in its Ohio segment, where a 5-mile stretch between exits 110B and 116 in Columbus recorded 11 fatal accidents and 15 fatalities from 2018 to 2020, equating to 2 fatal crashes per mile.^[62][63] This segment, passing through urban interchanges in Franklin County, exhibits elevated crash rates due to heavy congestion and merging traffic patterns.^[64] A notable incident occurred on May 14, 1988, near Carrollton, Kentucky, when a drunk driver traveling the wrong way on southbound I-71 collided head-on with a church bus carrying 67 passengers returning from Kings Island amusement park, resulting in 27 deaths, including 24 children, and 34 injuries; the ensuing fire exacerbated the tragedy.^[65] In Ohio, severe weather has contributed to multiple large-scale pileups, such as the February 15, 2010, event in Delaware County where over 50 vehicles, including tractor-trailers, crashed on snow-covered southbound lanes over a 23-mile stretch between state routes 61 and 36/37, causing minor injuries but significant delays.^[66] More recently, on July 17, 2025, multiple crashes in a construction zone on northbound I-71 near the Madison-Pickaway county line, including a collision between two semi-trucks, led to an eight-hour closure and stranded hundreds of drivers overnight.^[67] Contributing factors to I-71's safety challenges include high volumes of truck traffic as a primary freight corridor connecting the Midwest to the South, sharp curves and narrow lanes near Cincinnati's Lytle Tunnel area that reduce visibility and increase rollover risks, and frequent snow squalls in northern Ohio that cause sudden whiteout conditions.^[68] To mitigate these issues, Ohio and Kentucky transportation departments have implemented edge-line rumble strips, which have reduced run-off-road and nighttime crashes by alerting drivers to lane departures, along with enhanced signage for weather hazards and construction zones.^[69][70] Compared to peer routes like I-75, I-71 shows higher fatality counts in similar urban stretches; for instance, the Columbus segment on I-71 had 15 deaths over 5 miles from 2018 to 2020, exceeding the 8 and 7 fatalities recorded on comparable 4-mile sections of I-75 near Sharonville and Cincinnati, despite similar crash rates per mile.^[62][63]

Future developments

Kentucky

A $50 million project to widen and improve Interstate 71 in Louisville began in November 2025 and is expected to be completed by fall 2027. The initiative aims to reduce congestion, enhance safety, and improve traffic flow in a critical urban corridor.^[71] The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, a joint effort between Kentucky and Ohio, involves reconstructing an eight-mile stretch of I-71 and I-75, including a new companion bridge parallel to the existing Brent Spence Bridge. Valued at $3.6 billion, major construction is slated to start in early 2026, with completion anticipated in the early 2030s. The project will add lanes, improve interchanges, and enhance multimodal connectivity to support regional growth.^[72][73]

Ohio

In Columbus, the I-70/I-71 Downtown Ramp Up project, budgeted at $1.4 billion, consists of multiple phases to reconstruct and improve the I-70/I-71 corridor through downtown. Ongoing work addresses congestion and safety at complex interchanges, with several phases continuing through 2025 and beyond.^[74] The Improved Interchange at I-71/U.S. 36/SR 37 project in Delaware County began Phase A construction in 2025, focusing on safety and capacity enhancements at the existing interchange and proposing a new Sunbury Parkway connection.^[75] A feasibility study for a US 23/I-71 Connector north of Columbus, initiated in 2025, is evaluating a potential new freeway link to improve regional access and reduce local traffic. The study is ongoing as of November 2025.^[76] The Big Walnut Interchange project in Delaware County is in planning stages (Tier II as of 2025), aiming to add a new interchange at mile marker 124 to enhance connectivity and alleviate pressure on local roads.^[77] The I-71 Crossroads Regional Transportation Study, led by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and ODOT, is examining long-term improvements along I-71 in northern Ohio. Public meetings occurred in November 2025, with completion expected by December 2026.^[4] Additional safety-focused projects, such as modifications to the I-71 northbound Pearl Road exit in Medina County, are planned or underway to install traffic signals and ramp improvements.^[78]