A stretch of Riverside Drive that carries roughly 20,000 vehicles a day closed to all traffic Aug. 3, while the Ohio Department of Transportation replaces a culvert-style bridge near River Park Drive.
The closure blocks U.S. 33 between Fishinger Road and just north of River Park Drive. Riverside Drive remains open at both Bethel Road and Henderson Road. ODOT expects the work to last approximately 45 days, putting the tentative reopening around mid-September.
The $2.22 million project includes replacing the culvert near River Park Drive and the storm sewer at the U.S. 33/Fishinger Road intersection, according to ODOT's project page.
Detour routes
ODOT's official detours route drivers onto I-270:
- Northbound/westbound (from Columbus or Upper Arlington): Take Fishinger Road/Cemetery Road to the Hilliard I-270 entrance ramps.
- Southbound (from Dublin): Take SR 161 (West Bridge Street) to the Dublin I-270 entrance ramps.
Reed Road and Sawmill Road may absorb some overflow as informal alternates, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Reed Road carries about 9,700 vehicles daily; Sawmill Road handles roughly 17,800.
Two projects at once
The Riverside Drive closure is separate from the city-funded $2.6 million Northwest Boulevard reconstruction that also started Aug. 3. Upper Arlington residents face both projects simultaneously this summer.
The City of Upper Arlington announced the Riverside Drive closure on July 29, urging residents to plan extra travel time.
ODOT lists the project's end date as fall 2026. Residents can contact ODOT District 6 at [email protected] or 740-833-8268 with questions.
