Interstate 480 (Ohio)

The freeway runs concurrently with I-271 for two miles (3.2 km). I-271 and I-480 were the only two auxiliary Interstates in the nation that ran concurrently with each other for any distance until 2022, when a concurrency between I-587 and I-795 in North Carolina was established with the designation of I-587.[4] This is because I-80 was concurrent with I-271 until 1971, when I-80 was routed back on to the turnpike and replaced by I-480.

Due to the convergence of these high traffic roads, congestion is common during peak times. They run concurrently through Bedford Heights, Bedford, and Oakwood in Cuyahoga County. Because of that, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) started a $120-million (equivalent to $134 million in 2021[5]) widening project in 2016, expanding the concurrency to five lanes in each direction. The project is expected to be completed in late 2020.[6][7]

I-271/I-480 north of the State Route 14 (SR 14; Broadway)/Forbes interchange in 2002

The Valley View Bridge, which is 212 feet (65 m) high and spans 4,150 feet (1,260 m), carries I-480 across the Cuyahoga River valley. It is the busiest crossing in the state of Ohio with approximately 180,000 cars per day. An expansion and deck replacement project began in 2018, which includes building a third bridge between the existing bridges to allow for deck replacement of the existing bridges with minimal disruption of traffic. When completed, scheduled for 2024, plans call for the bridges to carry six lanes of traffic in each direction.[8]

I-480 was conceived as a means of giving motorists a faster way of crossing Cleveland's southern borders and suburbs.[9][10] The first segment of the route was partially concurrent with I-271 and constructed simultaneously with that highway in 1965.[11] Planning for the route was largely finished by 1968, and construction began on its first mile (1.6 km) began at the highway's interchange with I-77 in 1970.[10]

The segment from Bedford west to Maple Heights opened in November 1976.[12] The segment from Maple Heights west to Brooklyn Heights opened in January 1978.[13]

Construction from west to east began as political controversies and engineering work were resolved on the highway's middle section. I-480 between I-80 and I-71 was completed in 1983.[14]

The two miles (3.2 km) of the route north and northeast of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport proved the most difficult to plan due to existing high levels of traffic on Brookpark Road and the expansion requirements of the airport.[10]

The final $115-million (equivalent to $267 million in 2021[5]),[15] 2.5-mile (4.0 km) segment linking the east and west ends of I-480 was finished in August 1987.[16]

Interstate 480N (I-480N) is officially designated as the spur freeway connecting I-480 to I-271 and US Route 422 (US 422) by ODOT.[17][18] It is currently signed as I-480 on interchange signs and is signed as I-480N on milemarkers.[19]

A view of I-480N about halfway through the route

Major intersections

The entire route is in Cuyahoga County.

Location	mi[17]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Maple Heights	0.00	0.00	–	I-480 west – Cleveland, Toledo	Exit 26 on I-480
North Randall	0.53– 0.78	0.85– 1.26	1	Miles Road – North Randall, Bedford Heights
Warrensville Heights	1.29	2.08	—	I-271 north (Express Lanes) to I-90 – Erie, PA	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	1.63	2.62	–	I-271 south to I-480 east – Columbus	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; exit 27A on I-271; exit 13A on US 422
			—	I-271 north / US 422 west (Local Lanes) / Harvard Road / Chagrin Boulevard	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit 27B on I-271
	1.99	3.20	–	US 422 east – Warren	Exit 13B on US 422
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 480 (Ohio).

• Interstate 480 (Ohio) Endpoint Photos