Interstate 490 Ohio

Interstate 490 Ohio
Cleveland, OH ↔ 55th Street – Cleveland, OH•2.57 miles

Overview

Interstate 490 in Ohio connects I-90 (Northwest Freeway) and I-71 (Medina Freeway) with I-77 (Willow Freeway) between the Tremont and North Broadway neighborhoods in central Cleveland. The urban freeway represents a short portion of the original Clark Freeway proposed east from the Innerbelt (I-90) to the Outer Belt East Freeway (I-271) at Beachwood and Pepper Pike.

The Innerbelt Project along Interstate 90 included work to rebuild the I-71 overpasses at the four level interchange with I-490 and several changes to ramps at the north end I-77 at Downtown. Ramps from I-90 east to I-77 south and from I-77 north to I-90 west closed by April 11, 2011, with Interstate 490 designated as the new connection for those movements.1

Mileage by State

Ohio2.57 mi

Data Sources

June 18, 2025 Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Straight Line Diagrams. https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/programs/technical-services/tech-services-card-catalog/sld

History

The I-490 connector was first envisioned as part of an urban loop taking Interstate 80S from the Parma Freeway (planned I-90) east along the Clark Freeway to the Bedford Freeway across central Cleveland. I-290 was proposed to extend the Clark Freeway east from the Bedford Freeway at the Kinsman neighborhood to the Outer Belt East Freeway at Beachwood, where it would overlap with I-271 north to I-90 in Lake County. Increasing community opposition throughout the 1960s led to several freeway cancellations, including all of the Clark Freeway east from North Broadway.

Cleveland, OH - 1971
Interstate 290 would have continued due east from the I-90 northward turn at I-71 to Shaker Heights and Beachwood.
Cleveland metropolitan area – 1972
The earliest proposal for what would later become part of I-490 incorporated a portion of the Interstate 80N loop north from Ravanna to Cleveland and west along I-90 to the Ohio Turnpike. The southeasterly jog of I-80N to Maple Heights was later incorporated into a proposed reroute of I-490 to Maple Heights before the route was dropped all together east of 55th Street.

The redesignation of Interstate 290 to I-490 was approved by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on November 10, 1973. The change redefined the eastern terminus from I-271 and Shaker Heights to Interstate 480 at Maple Heights. The southeastern route to Maple Heights (Bedford Freeway) from E 55th Street was never built, with the exception of the trumpet interchange and access road between I-480 and Broadway Avenue at Exit 23.

Opportunity Corridor

Starting in Fall 2000, the Cleveland Innerbelt study conducted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) included two alternatives involving new construction between Interstate 490 and the University Circle neighborhood in northeast Cleveland. One concept extended the freeway along railroad right of way northeast to Interstate 90 at E 133rd Street and the Forest Hills neighborhood. The second alternative outlined an at-grade boulevard between I-490 and E 105th Street along the same railroad corridor.

Opportunity Corridor Section Map - Cleveland, OH
Opportunity Corridor Section Map

The freeway plan included interchanges at E 55th Street, Kinsman Road, Woodland Avenue, Stokes Boulevard, Euclid Avenue, Superior Avenue, St. Clair Avenue and E 133rd Street. The alternative was estimated to cost $1.5 billion and displace 165 residences. Community opposition from East Side neighborhoods ranged from activists, residents, Council President Frank Jackson and Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell.

The boulevard concept would range from four to six lanes separated by a median with signalized intersections. Only 25 residences would be displaced. Costs were estimated at $160 million, with ten years of construction potentially starting by 2007.2 The boulevard was rebranded and incorporated into the Opportunity Corridor Study conducted in 2004 by a consultant team. The Opportunity Corridor Steering Committee was subsequently formed comprising ODOT, the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and several other groups, residents and business owners. The committee identified a Recommended Preferred Alternative in July 2011.3

Eventually incorporated in the Opportunity Corridor Project, a $331 million public-private partnership with the goal of redeveloping more than 300 acres of underutilized land and brown fields, the envisioned road would comprise a divided 35 mile per hour boulevard with traffic lights with pedestrian and bicycle paths. Project details were presented at an October 2013 Public Hearing. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the corridor and issued a Record of Decision on May 1, 2014.3

The Opportunity Corridor extends east three miles from E 55th Street to University Circle and E 105th Street. Construction was divided into three sections:

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Opportunity Corridor took place on November 3, 2021. The boulevard opened to traffic on November 12, 2021. Landscaping and work on final punch list items continued to June 2022.5

East End Interstate 77 ‐ 55th Street – Cleveland, OH

Interstate 490 East at Interstate 77

I-490 east at I-77 - 2006

A loop ramp connects W 7th Street and the Tremont neighborhood with I-490 east, one mile ahead of Interstate 77. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).

I-490 east at I-77 - 2006 I-490 east at I-77 - 2006 I-490 east at I-77 - 2006 I-490 east at I-77 - 2006 I-490 east at 55th St - Cleveland, OH I-490 east at 55th St - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 77 North at Interstate 490

I-77 north at I-490 - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 77 northbound enters the Cleveland city limits from Newburgh Heights, 1.25 miles south of Exit 161 B for I-490 west and E 55th Street. 09/30/10

I-77 north at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 north at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 north at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 north at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 north at I-490 - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 77 South at Interstate 490

I-77 south at I-490 - Cleveland, OH

I-77 initially travels east alongside U.S. 422 and Woodland Avenue before curving south along a viaduct leading to the four level interchange (Exit 161 B) with Interstate 490. 06/14/10

I-77 south at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 south at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 south at I-490 - Cleveland, OH I-77 south at I-490 - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 490 West at Interstate 77

I-490 west at I-77 - 2006

Leaving E 55th Street, I-490 quickly splits with the unnumbered ramps for I-77 (Willow Freeway) north to Downtown Cleveland and south toward Akron. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).

East End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 77 North at Interstate 490

i-77 north at I-490 - 2006

This overhead assembly at the Fleet Avenue overpass in South Broadway, Cleveland was replaced by 2007, then moved to a new sign bridge with a variable message board by 2010. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).

i-77 north at I-490 - 2006 i-77 north at I-490 - 2006 i-77 north at I-490 - 2006 i-77 north at I-490 - 2002 i-77 north at I-490 - 2002

Interstate 77 South at Interstate 490

I-77 south at I-490 - 2006

Button copy guide signs for Interstate 490 on I-77 south were eventually replaced in kind. Photo by Tim Kubat (04/06).

I-77 south at I-490 - 2006 I-77 south at I-490 - 2006

West End Interstate 71 Interstate 90 ‐ Cleveland, OH

Interstate 490 West at Interstate 71 Interstate 90

I-490 west at I-71/90 - Cleveland, OH

Ramps from I-77 (Willow Freeway) and Broadway Avenue (old U.S. 21) merge onto Interstate 490 at the Cuyahoga River bridge. The freeway proceeds west to Tremont and I-71 south (Exit 1 A) and I-90 west. 09/30/10

I-490 west at I-71/90 - Cleveland, OH I-490 west at I-71/90 - Cleveland, OH I-490 west at I-71/90 - Cleveland, OH I-490 west at I-71/90 - Cleveland, OH I-490 west at I-71/90 - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 71 North at Interstate 90 Interstate 490

I-71 north at I-90/490 - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 71 (Medina Freeway) leads east though the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood in Cleveland to a collector distributor roadway (Exit 247 B) for I-90 and I-490. Photo by Eric Stuve (07/02/17).

I-71 north at I-90/490 - Cleveland, OH I-71 north at I-90/490 - Cleveland, OH I-71 north at I-90/490 - Cleveland, OH

Interstate 90 East at Interstate 71 Interstate 490

I-90 east at I-71/490 - Cleveland, OH

The first sign for Interstate 490 (Exit 170C) appears along I-90 (Northwest Freeway) east at Exit 169 to W 41st and W 44th Streets in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. 09/30/10

I-90 east at I-71/490 - Cleveland, OH I-90 east at I-71/490 - Cleveland, OH I-90 east at I-71/490 - Cleveland, OH I-90 east at I-71/490 - Cleveland, OH

West End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 490 West at Interstate 71 Interstate 90

I-490 west at I-71/90 - 2006

Crossing Industrial Valley and the Cuyahoga River, Interstate 490 passed under this set of button copy signs for I-71 and I-90. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).

I-490 west at I-71/90 - 2006 I-490 west at I-71/90 - 2006 I-490 west at I-71/90 - 2006

Interstate 90 East at Interstate 71 Interstate 490

I-90 east at I-490/71 - 2006

Button copy signs formerly posted for Interstate 490 east and U.S. 42 at Exit 169. Photo by Tim Kubat (April 2006).

I-90 east at I-490/71 - 2006 I-90 east at I-490/71 - 2006

Ohio State Route 176 North at Interstate 90 Interstate 490

SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006

SR 176 (Jennings Freeway) winds north from Interstate 480 through the Old Brooklyn neighborhood in Cleveland to Big Creek. The freeway connects with I- 90 and I-490 in two miles. Photo by Steve Hanudel (06/18/06).

SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006 SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006 SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006 SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006 SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006 SR 176 north at I-90/490 - 2006

References

  1. "Two Interstate 77/90 Ramps to Close Permanently as Part of Innerbelt Work." Ohio Department of Transportation, news release. April 5, 2011.
  2. Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). (February 2002). Connecting I-490 to University Circle - An Examination of the Economic and Community Development Impacts of ODOT's East Side Alternatives on affected City Neighborhoods and University Circle. Retrieved from https://www.dot.state.oh.us/projects/ClevelandUrbanCoreProjects/OpportunityCorridor/Documents/OCI490ConnectorStudy.pdf
  3. Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). Opportunity Corridor - Project Overview. Retrieved April 13, 2016 from https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/mega-projects/mega-projects/opportunity-corridor
  4. Greater Cleveland Partnership. (2019, January 11). Opportunity Corridor Phase 3 Construction. [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.gcpartnership.com/en/News/GCP-News/ January-2019/Opportunity-Corridor-Phase-3-Construction
  5. Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). (2022, February 3). Cleveland Opportunity Corridor Open. Retrieved from https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/about-us/stories/january-winter-2022/cleveland-opportunity-corridor-open
Updated July 1, 2022