In 2018, 星空无限传媒 listener Katie Merkhofer asked Curious Cbus why there was an abandoned overpass near the Scioto Audubon Metro Park over I-70 and I-71. Back then, the overpass was slated to come down in 2020. But it鈥檚 still up, and was even used as a canvas for a mural during the COVID-19 pandemic.
So what's going to happen to the overpass now? According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, it's still slated to come down, and soon.
An Abandoned Overpass Refresher
In 2018, no one 星空无限传媒 spoke to knew when the overpass was first completed. But with aerial image archives, the construction we were able to pinpoint a time period between 1953 to 1963.
As for why the overpass existed, former journalist Anietra Hamper who wrote about the bridge in her book, 鈥淪ecret Columbus: a Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure,鈥� said it was originally supposed to be a ramp from Mound Street to I-70 West, but the project was abandoned when a separate ramp from I-70 West was built at Civic Center Drive and Second Street.
In 1995, however, construction began on the Miranova Place project off Mound Street, which led to the removal of the overpass connector there.
To Remove Or Not To Remove
An Ohio Department of Transportation spokesperson said construction to tear the overpass down last year was paused due to COVID-19.
When the original story was published three years ago citing it would get torn down, there were calls online to repurpose the overpass for other uses. One user on Reddit two years ago wrote that the overpass , basically a park on a bridge. Others have said it could become an extension of the Scioto Audubon Park, or a connector between the park and the Scioto Mile.
But now, it鈥檚 slated to come down in 2022. And ODOT said they need to demolish it as a part of their project to widen I-70 and I-71. They added that if it had previously been in use 鈥� or if they repurposed it for other uses 鈥� they would have to tear it down and replace it. But since it鈥檚 not, it will be a complete removal to save time and money.
A Bridge (Temporarily) In Use
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, local arts organization Catalyst Columbus collaborated with ODOT to paint a mural on the bridge.
Catalyst Columbus founder Brian Suiter said at the beginning of the pandemic, they wanted to find a way to make an impact on people鈥檚 lives while they were stuck at home. And the abandoned overpass was an opportunity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bridge that鈥檚 theoretically off limits to people, and so how do we be able to activate that asset that the city has and get it onto people鈥檚 phones and tablets and computers while they鈥檙e sitting at home and not able to go outside,鈥� Suiter said.
The mural, which was completed last summer by around 15 people, spans from the Scioto Audubon entrance all the way to the other side of the overpass. 鈥淲e Are Stronger Together鈥� is painted in bold text over it.
Suiter said the group was told by ODOT going in that the mural would be temporary. And he鈥檚 surprised it鈥檚 still there.
鈥淥ur expectation was that it was going to be up for nine or 12, or maybe 15 months, and here we are months and months later where it鈥檚 still there and still has life to it for the next few months," he said.
But Suiter said while the mural is temporary, it鈥檚 still valuable as it marks a certain time period with the pandemic, and it was an opportunity for artists to bring joy to others at home. He added that there鈥檚 something romantic about something existing for a certain period of time and then disappearing.
There鈥檚 a possibility that the mural will be the last project that happens with the overpass before it鈥檚 torn down, and Suiter said if it is, it鈥檚 a good way for it to go out.
鈥淚t got utilized for something that was good and beautiful and brought some joy and interest to people鈥檚 lives," he said. "And it鈥檚 a good thing to have before it gets torn down."
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