Interstate 680 Ohio

History
North End
South End

Overview

Interstate 680 branches north from I-76 at Beaver Township in Mahoning County to join the Ohio Turnpike with the city of Youngstown. The freeway loop runs north between Boardman and the city of Struthers. Entering Youngstown at the Lansingville neighborhood, I-680 makes a sweeping curve west to South Avenue and then turns north to the inner belt freeway system encircling Downtown.

U.S. 62, U.S. 422 and Ohio 193 represent the eastern half of the inner loop, joining I-680 with Youngstown State University and northern neighborhoods of the city. Turning westward to I-80, Interstate 680 meets Ohio 711, a freeway connector linking with both Ohio 11 north to Ashtabula and I-80 east to Sharon, Pennsylvania. I-680 west defaults onto I-80 west at the separation with Ohio 11 south by Mineral Ridge.

Route Information

  • North End – Mineral Ridge, OH

  • South End – North Lima, OH

  • Mileage – 16.43

  • Cities – Youngstown

  • Junctions – I-76 Ohio Tpk I-80

Source: December 31, 2017 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

The freeway loop through Youngstown was initially proposed as Interstate 78 and subsequently I-480. I-680 was established for the route in 1962. Prior to 1972, the Ohio Turnpike from Jackson Township, Ohio to Monroeville, Pennsylvania was designated as Interstate 80S. No changes were proposed for I-680 following the renumbering of I-80S to Interstate 76. The freeway was completed by 1976.

Highway Guides

North End I-80 Ohio 11 – Mineral Ridge, Ohio

Perspective from Interstate 680 north
Traveling north on Interstate 680 at Exit 3C (Connecticut Avenue/Belle Vista Avenue), in one mile is the freeway connection to Interstate 80 east (Exit 3A). Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Northbound Interstate 680 reaches Exit 3A, Ohio 711 north to Ohio 11 and Interstate 80 east to Sharon, Pennsylvania. The succeeding exit is with Meridian Road, which also connects to Interstate 80. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Interstate 680 defaults onto I-80 west two miles beyond the exchange with Meridian Road (Exit 2). Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Proceeding west of Exit 2 is this set of overheads for Ohio 11 south/Exit 1 and Interstate 80 west/Cleveland. All pull-through panels from this point westward display Interstate 680 north as Interstate 80 west. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
The last off-ramp of Interstate 680 north is the Exit 1 departure for the Ohio 11 freeway south. Otherwise traffic will enter Interstate 80 west in one fourth of a mile. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
Interstate 680 north at Exit 1/Ohio 11 south. The merge with Interstate 80 west is ahead and features a split two lanes. Interstate 80, in conjunction with Interstate 480, travels west 58 miles to Cleveland. Photo taken by Tim Kubat (April-June 2006).
The conclusion of Interstate 680 northbound. The ramp partitions into two separate single lanes to allow for Ohio 46 traffic interests the opportunity to merge to the right segregated from the overall Interstate 680 movement onto Interstate 80. Photo taken 05/21/02.
Perspective from Interstate 80 east
Three miles removed from the Ohio Turnpike, Interstate 80 nears the exchange (Exit 224) with Ohio 11 and Interstate 680 south. Ohio 11 constitutes a regional freeway from East Liverpool along the Ohio River to Ashtabula along Lake Erie. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Interstate 80 east expands to four lanes ahead of Exits 224A/B. Departing first is Ohio 11 as it bypasses Youngstown to the west. Canfield lies at the crossroads of Interstate 76 at U.S. 62. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Exit 224A to Ohio 11 southbound departs. A diagrammatic overhead guides eastbound motorists toward the pending split with Interstate 680 south. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Ohio 11 combines with I-80 ahead of the split with Interstate 680 south. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Exit 224B departs for I-680 south into Youngstown. I-80 and Ohio 11 travel northeasterly to the city of Girard. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Perspective from Interstate 80 west & Ohio 11 south
The first sign for Interstate 680 along westbound Interstate 80 appears one mile prior to the Salt Springs Road interchange. Photo taken 09/01/05.
Access to Interstate 680 southbound from Interstate 80 west/Ohio 11 south is not direct. Because of the orientation of the two freeways at Exit 224, traffic interests to the southeast via Interstate 680 must utilize the Salt Springs Road interchange (Exit 226) and local area surface streets to access the freeway from Meridian Road. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Westbound Interstate 80 reaches Exit 226 for Salt Springs Road to I-680 south. Photo taken 09/01/05.

South End I-76 Ohio Tpk – North Lima, Ohio

Perspective from Interstate 680 south
Interstate 680 southbound nearing the final mainline interchange at Exit 14/Ohio 164 – Western Reserve Road. Traffic that does not depart at Exit 14 will enter the Ohio Turnpike System at the southern terminus in 2.50 miles. Photo taken 10/07/01.
The final southbound exit of Interstate 680 before the terminus at Interstate 76. Since the turnpike system is tolled, this is the final departure point before encountering a toll plaza. From this interchange Ohio 164 travels southwestward to Columbiana and the Ohio 11 freeway. Photo taken 10/07/01.
The replacement one-mile guide sign for the eastbound connection to Interstate 76. Photo taken by Dan Garnell (07/12/03).
Approaching the Ohio Turnpike toll plaza of Interstate 680 southbound. Interstate 76 carries the turnpike from Austintown to the west of Youngstown southeastward to the Pennsylvania state line and Turnpike near Petersburg. Photo taken 10/07/01.
Perspective from Interstate 76 (Ohio Turnpike) west
Two miles ahead of I-680 north during the time period when the Ohio Turnpike switched from sequential to mileage based exit numbers. Photo taken 05/21/02.
I-680 is the first exit sign on the entire length of the Turnpike in the westbound direction. Typical of most two-mile advance guide signs on the Ohio Turnpike, no control city is featured. Photo taken by Dan Garnell (07/12/03).
Interstate 76 one mile east of the wye interchange (Exit 234) with I-680 north. Photo taken 05/21/02.
Interstate 680 northbound begins from the Ohio Turnpike west, one mile from Exit 232 with Ohio 7. Photo taken 05/21/02.

Page updated October 28, 2007.