The I-70/I-71 Columbus South Innerbelt Study had already been selected in December 2011 by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Ohio for an Outstanding Achievement Award. So at the annual Engineering Excellence Awards luncheon on June 21, the project was elevated to the next level and received the Grand Award - the highest honor given each year.

The project in downtown Columbus, Ohio, is rebuilding two interstates, I-70 and I-71, that run through the central business district of Ohio’s largest city.  The two-mile stretch where the interstates combine and then separate is characterized by congestion for many hours of the day and is identified as one of the state’s highest crash locations. The volume of traffic, combined with numerous freeway ramps, contributes to these operational characteristics.

To develop short- and long-term solutions for this urban corridor, the Ohio Department of Transportation retained ms consultants as the lead consultant to study various alternatives to alleviate the congestion and improve vehicular safety.

The first phases of the project are now under construction. For more information, please contact Tom Hibbard, P.E., at 614.989.7100 or info@msconsultants.com.

ms consultants was also ranked #9 on Business First's Top 25 Engineering Firms for central Ohio, moving up one spot from last year. The list was published in the Friday, July 6, edition of Columbus Business First.