Interstate 74 (I-74) in the US state of Ohio runs for 19.47 miles (31.33 km) southeast from the Indiana border to the western segment's current eastern terminus at I-75 just north of Downtown Cincinnati. It is also signed with U.S. Route 52 (US 52) for its entire length.
 Interstate 74 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-74 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ODOT | ||||
| Length | 19.47 mi[1] (31.33 km) | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  I-74 at Indiana state line | |||
| ||||
| East end |   I-75 / US 52 in Cincinnati | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Ohio | |||
| Counties | Hamilton | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
editThe Ohio portion of I-74 begins on the Indiana border near Harrison and travels east. Shortly after crossing into Ohio, the Interstate curves southeast before it intersects with I-275 near milepost 5. It then overlaps with that beltway route, heading generally east for approximately four miles (6.4 km) before splitting from I-275 to continue southeast into Cincinnati. Approximately 10 miles (16 km) later, I-74 reaches its eastern terminus at I-75, about four miles (6.4 km) north-northwest of Downtown Cincinnati.
History
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (April 2022) |
Future
editProposals call for I-74 to be continued through Ohio and into West Virginia, concurrent with I-73; with both of these roads continuing through Virginia and North Carolina to end in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Due to funding concerns, there are no concrete plans for this to occur.
However, several plans are in the running for the extension through the Cincinnati metropolitan area. They include:
- Running along I-75 to the interchange at I-275, then onto State Route 32 (SR 32);
- Along I-75 between the I-74/I-75 interchange and I-75/SR 562 interchange, then onto SR 562, then to the interchange at I-71/SR 562, then to the I-71/Red Bank corridor interchange, down the Red Bank corridor, and then finally along a new highway connector to SR 32; and
- From the I-74/I-75 interchange to I-75/SR 562 interchange, then onto SR 562, then on through the I-71/SR 562 interchange, and then finally to the I-71/I-275 interchange before connecting to SR 32.
The second route was eliminated due to opposition regarding a key part of its completion: a $366.2-million highway that would need to be constructed near Mariemont and Newtown (terminuses: Red Bank Road/Wooster Pike intersection and Bells Lane). Total costs would have been $809.1 million ($62 million per mile ($39 million/km)). Improvements to existing roads have been proposed instead.
The Norwood Lateral (SR 562) would need to be reconstructed in order to become part of I-74. Here are the possible and/or most likely needs: a third travel lane in each direction (two each way currently), overpasses requiring more vertical clearance (16 feet (4.9 m) minimum), upgraded ramp extensions at interchanges (1,200 feet (370 m)), and shoulders of more width. There are highways with shoulder widths of four and eight feet (1.2 and 2.4 m), however; so this might not be a serious issue. This problem could be resolved through Congress if they wanted to designate the Norwood Lateral as a future segment of the Interstate Highway System.
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Hamilton County.
| Location | mi[2] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison | 0.00 | 0.00 | Indiana state line | |||
| 1.60 | 2.57 | 1 | New Haven Road – Harrison | |||
| 3.58 | 5.76 | 3 | Dry Fork Road | |||
| Whitewater Township | 5.85 | 9.41 | 5 | West end of I-275 overlap; I-275 exit 25 | ||
| 7.76 | 12.49 | 7 | ||||
| Colerain Township | 9.33 | 15.02 | 9 | East end of I-275 overlap; I-275 exit 28 | ||
| Green Township | 11.16 | 17.96 | 11 | Rybolt Road, Harrison Pike | ||
| 14.66 | 23.59 | 14 | North Bend Road – Cheviot | |||
| Cincinnati | 17.44 | 28.07 | 17 | Montana Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 18.40– 18.52 | 29.61– 29.81 | 18 | No direct access from I-74 west to Beekman Street south or from Beekman Street north to I-74 east, however, a legal U-turn allows both of these accesses to be achieved. | |||
| 19.08 | 30.71 | 19 | Elmore Street, Spring Grove Avenue | Former westbound exit and eastbound entrance to I-75 south; closed 2013 | ||
| 19.47 | 31.33 | I-75 exit 4; US 27 and US 52 overlaps end east; Unsigned US 27 | ||||
| 19.47 | 31.33 | 20 | Former eastern end of US 27 overlap; closed 2013 | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
edit- ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "Hamilton County Roadway Description Inventory Report — DESTAPE" (PDF). Ohio Department of Transportation. June 24, 2015: 31–33. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
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