History

The Interstate 490 connector was originally conceived as part of Interstate 290, which was planned to have continued east from Interstate 77 in Cleveland to Interstate 271 near Pepper Pike. In order to return to Interstate 90, Interstate 290 was then planned to turn north onto Interstate 271. Opposition to this freeway eliminated Interstate 290, and left the truncated portion south of downtown Cleveland for Interstate 490.

The following map shows the planned Interstate 290 freeway as seen in the Ohio Official State Map from 1969 (Cleveland inset):

Western Terminus - Interstate 71 and Interstate 90 - Cleveland, Ohio
Perspective from Interstate 490 west
	The final exit on westbound Interstate 490 is Exit 1B, West 7th Street, followed by Exit 1A, Junction Interstate 71 south to Columbus and Interstate 90 west to Toledo. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Westbound Interstate 490 reaches Exit 1B, West 7th Street. The next exit is Exit 1A, Junction Interstate 71 south, followed by Exit 0, Junction Interstate 90 west. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	To Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway south, use Exit 1A, Junction Interstate 71 south. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	No END sign is posted for Interstate 490 as the freeway ends at its junction with Interstate 71 (Exit 1A) and Interstate 90 (Exit 0) south of downtown Cleveland. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	The zero milepost for Interstate 490 west is posted at the merge point between Interstate 490 west and Interstate 90 west. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Interstate 90 east
	Now traveling east on Interstate 90, the connection to Interstate 490 east (Exit 170C) is via a left exit. The next exit is Exit 170A, Junction U.S. 42/West 25th Street. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Continuing east, Interstate 90 approaches Exit 170C, Junction Interstate 490 east to Interstate 77 and East 55th Street. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Eastbound Interstate 90 reaches Exit 170C, Junction Interstate 490 east. The right two lanes carry Interstate 90 east to downtown Cleveland. A separate exit for Interstate 71 and Ohio 176 is available via the right lane of Interstate 90 east. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Interstate 71 north
	Traveling north on Interstate 71, the final two exits on northbound are Exit 247A, West 47th Street and Clark Avenue and Exit 247B, Junction Interstate 90 east and Interstate 490 west. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Shortly thereafter is the first overhead sign for Interstate 490, which is a short, east-west connector from Interstate 71 east to Interstate 77, offering relief to Interstate 90/Inner Belt Freeway. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	The right lane becomes exit only for the connection to Interstate 90 west and Interstate 490 east. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	An overhead sign for lane allocation for the interchange with Interstate 90 and Interstate 490 is posted ahead; the right lanes will exit onto Interstate 90 west and Interstate 490 east. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Northbound Interstate 71 reaches Exit 247A, West 47th Street and Clark Avenue and Exit 247B, Junction Interstate 90 east and Interstate 490 west. The left two lanes will merge onto Interstate 90 east, while the right lanes enter a collector-distributor ramp system for Exits 247A-B. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Continuing north on Interstate 71, this view of dual freeway is afforded at the Clark Avenue overpass. Signage for Exit 247B, Junction Interstate 90 east and Interstate 490 west can be seen on the collector-distributor lanes. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	This overhead sign assembly is the final one along northbound Interstate 71. Shortly after this sign, Interstate 71 north merges onto Interstate 90 east. For Interstate 90 east, use the left lanes; for downtown Cleveland and Junction U.S. 422 and Ohio 14 via Exits 171A-B. Interstate 71 north ends here, just shy of downtown Cleveland. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Continuing north, Interstate 71 north prepares to merge onto Interstate 90 east. The lanes to the right is eastbound Interstate 90; the two routes merge shortly ahead. Use Exits 171B or 172A to Jacobs Field and the Q Arena; use Exit 171B to Tower City. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway north
	Now traveling north on Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway, a short freeway connector between Interstate 480 near Brooklyn Heights and Interstate 71 southwest of downtown Cleveland near the bridge that carries Interstate 90 over the Cuyahoga River, is this overhead sign assembly that is the first to advise of the pending junction with Interstate 490. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	This is the final reassurance shield for Ohio 176 north. To the east of the Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway is the Cuyahoga River valley. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	The penultimate exit on northbound Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway is the connection to Denison Avenue (west to Interstate 71 south and Ohio 10/Lorain Avenue west) and Harvard Avenue (east to Newburgh Heights). The left lane will connect to Interstate 90 east (by way of a brief connection on Interstate 71 north), while the right lane connects to Interstate 490 east and Interstate 90 west. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway approaches Interstate 71. Rather than merge with Interstate 71 directly, the two freeways become one double-deck freeway before meeting Interstate 90 and Interstate 490. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	The right lane becomes exit only for West 14th Street, which travels north and provides local access. At the end of the ramp is a near-U-Turn that leads to Interstate 71 south (in case the connection via Denison Avenue was not used). The left lanes merge onto Interstate 71 north. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	The final miles of Interstate 71 in Cleveland are urban, with this double-deck section at the merge point between Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway and Interstate 71, just before the interchange with Interstate 90 and Interstate 490 southwest of downtown Cleveland. Ohio 176 occupies the lower deck, while Interstate 71 travels on the upper deck. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway north follows the lower deck of this double-deck structure. Interstate 71 north sits above Ohio 176 for the last mile before the junction with Interstate 90 and Interstate 490. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	The right lane of northbound Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway departs onto West 14th Street, which offers a connection to southbound Interstate 71. The left two lanes continue north to merge onto Interstate 71 north (unsigned), which in turn connects to Interstate 90 and Interstate 490. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	After the West 14th Street exit, the remaining two lanes of northbound Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway prepare to split, with the right lane connecting to Interstate 90 west to Toledo and Interstate 490 east to Interstate 77 and the left lane merging onto Interstate 71 north to Interstate 90 east. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
	Ohio 176/Jennings Freeway ends as the right lane connects to the transition ramp to Interstate 90 west and Interstate 490 east. The left lane is signed as Interstate 90 east, but there is a short section that follows Interstate 71 north before connecting to Interstate 90 east. Photo taken by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).
Perspective from Interstate 90 west
Currently we do not have photos of this perspective. Please feel free to Contact Us if you have one to share.
Perspective from Interstate 490 east
	The first Interstate 490 reassurance shield is posted shortly after the split from Interstate 90. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Eastern Terminus - Interstate 77 - Cleveland, Ohio
Perspective from Interstate 490 east
	Eastbound Interstate 490 approaches its final two exits: Exit 2A, Junction Ohio 14/Broadway and Exit 2B, Junction Interstate 77 north to downtown Cleveland and south to Akron. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Eastbound Interstate 490 reaches Exit 2A, Junction Ohio 14/Broadway. The next exit is Exit 2B, Junction Interstate 77 north to downtown Cleveland and south to Akron. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	End Interstate 490 sign bridge near the Exit 2B ramp departure for Interstate 77 north and south. At the time of this photograph, the northbound ramp was closed. Note that the eastbound mainline continues with East 55th Street signage. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	The right lanes of Interstate 490 connect to Interstate 77 north to downtown Cleveland and south to Akron. The left lanes default onto a ramp to East 55th Street and the end of the freeway. If the once-proposed but now canceled Interstate 290 proposal were built to its full extent, the ramp to East 55th Street would have continued east all the way to Interstate 271. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	After the Interstate 77 ramps, the remaining lanes of Interstate 490 connect to East 55th Street. The left two lanes connect to northbound East 55th Street, while the right lane connects to East 55th Street southbound. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	A lane allocation sign is posted prior to the East 55th Street traffic signal. Thus ends Interstate 490, one of the shorter Interstates in Ohio. Use East 55th Street northbound to U.S. 422/Ohio 8 (Kinsman Road) east to Shaker Heights and Interstate 271. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Interstate 77 north

		Interstate 77 northbound enters the city limits of Cleveland from Newburgh Heights, 1.25 miles south of Exit 161B/Interstate 490 west and East 55th Street. Note the beautification of the overpass between 2002 and 2006. Photos taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006) and Andy Field (02/25/02).
		Progressing northward on Interstate 77 toward Interstate 490 and the ultimate terminus at downtown Cleveland with Interstate 90. The freeway stub between Interstate 77/490 and East 55th Street is all that was constructed of the Interstate 290 alignment planned between Interstate 77 and Interstate 271 near Pepper Pike. Photos taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006) and Andy Field (02/25/02).
		Interstate 77 northbound sees an exit-only lane for the westbound beginning of Interstate 490 and the associated eastbound connector to East 55th Street. Departing in this scene is the Exit 161A off-ramp for Ohio 4/Broadway. Photos taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006) and Andy Field (02/25/02).

	Interstate 490 westbound departs in 0.25 miles from Interstate 77 as the freeway crosses paths with Ohio 4/Broadway. The control city featured is Toledo, the northwestern Ohio city served by the Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80 and Interstate 90) 107 miles to the west. Photo taken by Andy Field (02/25/02).
	Interstate 77 north at Exit 161B/Interstate 490 west East 55th Street. If Interstate 490 were to be extended east from this point, it would continue from East 55th Street. However, such an extension is very unlikely, even if it were to mitigate a possible reconstruction or closure of Interstate 90 along the lakeshore. Photo taken by Andy Field (02/25/02).
Perspective from Interstate 77 south
	Now traveling south on Interstate 77 at Exit 162A (Woodland Avenue/Broadway/East 30th Street), we see the coming junction with Interstate 490 (Exit 161B), which travels east to East 55th Street and west to Interstate 90 west to Toledo. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Southbound Interstate 77 reaches Exit 161B, Junction Interstate 490. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
	Once on the transition ramp from southbound Interstate 77 to Exit 161B, the left lane connects to East 55th Street, and the right lane connects to westbound Interstate 490 to Toledo. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Perspective from Interstate 490 west
	Leaving the East 55th Street traffic signal, Interstate 490 begins its westbound journey and approaches its first interchange: Junction Interstate 77 north to downtown Cleveland and south to Akron. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).

Page Updated October 28, 2007.