U.S. Route 50 in Ohio

U.S. Route 50
Route of US 50 in Ohio in red
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length:	209 mi[1] (336 km)
Major junctions
West end:	US 50 at IN state line near Cleves
	I‑275 near Cincinnati I‑71 / I‑75 / I‑471 in Cincinnati I‑275 near Milford US 68 in Fayetteville US 62 in Hillsboro US 23 / US 35 in Chillicothe US 33 in Athens
East end:	US 50 at WV state line at the Ohio River
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List Bannered Divided Replaced Ohio Highways Interstate U.S. State Scenic ← SR 49 SR 51 →

U.S. Route 50 runs east–west across the southern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, passing through Cincinnati, Chillicothe, and Athens. It is mainly a two-lane road except for the easternmost part. Near Athens it becomes part of State Route 32, a four-lane divided highway known as Corridor D, and from Reedsville to the Ohio/West Virginia border it also overlaps State Route 7 before crossing into Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Route description

US 50 enters Ohio from Indiana at a traffic light with State Line Road. The route heads northeast as a four-lane undivided highway, passing through farmland and paralleling a railroad track. The highway passes under Interstate 275 before entering the extreme western suburbs of the greater Cincinnati area. The road has an at-grade crossing with a railroad track, before curving southeast. US 50 has a traffic signal at the intersection with SR 128. Southeast of SR 128, US 50 becomes a four-lane divided highway and cross over the Great Miami River. After the river the route enters Cleves and curves due south and passes through residential properties. In Cleves the highway has a traffic signal with SR 264, before leaving Cleves and entering North Bend. In North Bend the road continues to pass through woodland and residential properties, before passing the monument and tomb of President William Henry Harrison. The highway curves east-southeast and becomes a four-lane undivided highway, before leaving North Bend. The road parallels the Ohio River and passes through a mix of woodland, residential and industrial properties. The route begins to curve northeast and enters Cincinnati.^[2][3]

US 50 begins a concurrency with SR 264, at an intersection in the Lower Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati. The two routes heads east and is locally known as the Sixth Street Expressway. The expressway heads east as a six-lane divided highway passing through industrial properties. As the highway heads east it crosses over a railroad track and the Mill Creek. East of the Mill Creek, the road passes under a railroad track, before an eastbound exit towards Mehring Way. Followed by a westbound entrance from Harriet Street, before passing under another railroad track. The highway has an interchange with Freeman Avenue, this interchange does not have a westbound exit. The expressway passes over some railroad tracks and Linn Street, followed by an eastbound entrance and westbound exit to and from Linn Street. East of the interchange with Linn Street, is a bridge over Gest Street, with a westbound exit. After Gest Street, is an interchange with SR 264, this interchange serves downtown Cincinnati. The Sixth Street Expressway end at an interchange with Interstate 75 (I–75) and Second Street. US 50 curves southeast and begins a concurrency with I–71.^[2][3]

A section of the Fort Washington Way

I–71 and US 50 head east through downtown on an expressway locally known as Fort Washington Way. Fort Washington Way is an eight-lane divided depressed expressway, passing under five city streets. The highway passes Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ballpark, before I–71 leaves US 50. East of I–71, US 50 is locally known as Columbia Parkway, a four-lane divided highway. The parkway curves northeast having an interchange with I–471, on the east side of downtown. After I–75 the route passes through residential, parallel to the Ohio River. The road has an eastbound exit and a westbound entrance interchange with Martin Drive. After Martin Drive the roadway passes through woodland, as a six-lane undivided highway. The parkway has an eastbound slip ramp with U.S. Route 50 Truck, east of this ramp trucks are not allowed. After the slip ramp the highway curves east, passing over Collins Avenue and having a traffic signal at Torrence Parkway and William Howard Taft Road. East of the traffic signal the route curves southeast having a traffic signal at Delta Avenue. East of Delta Avenue, the roadway becomes a four-lane undivided highway, having a traffic signal at Stanley Avenue. The route becomes a four-lane divided highway, before making a very sharp northeast.^[2][3]

After the sharp curve US 50 heads northeast, having an interchange at SR 32, SR 125, and SR 561, the street is locally known as Beechmont Avenue. Northeast of Beechmont Avenue the parkway crosses over both Linwood Avenue and Heekin Avenue, before an interchange with Eastern Avenue. The Eastern Avenue interchange only allows for westbound exit and eastbound entrance, it is also the eastern terminus of US 50 Truck. From this interchange east truck are allow. The route enters Fairfax and has a bridge over some railroad tracks, followed by a bridge over Red Bank Road. After Red Bank Road the highway passes under a railroad track, before having an interchange with Red Bank Road. The highway passes through commercial properties having a traffic signal at Wooster Pike. The traffic signal at Wooster Pike is the eastern terminus of the Columbia Parkway.^[2][3]

US 50 heads northeast, locally known as Wooster Pike. The route heads through commercial properties as a two-lane undivided highway, before leaves Fairfax and enters Mariemont. In Mariemont US 50 becomes a two-lane divided highway passing through residential properties. The roadway becomes a four-lane divided highway in the business area of Mariemont. After leaving the business area of Mariemont the route becomes a four-lane undivided highway, passing through commercial properties. The route becomes a two-lane highway with a center turn lane, at an intersection with Newtown Road. The road curves northeast, passing north of the Kroger Hills State Reserve and passing under the Ohio to Erie Trail bike trail, also known as Ohio Bicycle Route 1. The highway enters Terrace Park, having an intersection with SR 126, this intersection is also the western terminus of SR 28. Both US 50 and SR 28 cross over the Little Miami River and enters the City of Milford. The route curves southeast, before turning northeast, passing through the downtown area of Milford. North of downtown the roadway curves east, passing through residential properties, with some commercial properties.^[2][3]

The concurrency turns northeast and has a six-way intersection, where US 50 turns southeast and SR 28 continues northeast. US 50 heads southeast as a four-lane undivided highway, passing through commercial properties. The highway has a traffic signal at SR 131 and Milford Parkway, Milford Parkway gives access to I–275. Southeast of this intersection the roadway narrows to a two-lane divided highway. The highway passes under I–275, with no access. The route curves due south and has an intersection with SR 450 (Milford Parkway), SR 450 has access to I–275.^[2][3]

A view of U.S. 50 (traveling west) near Albany, Ohio as it is about to leave the concurrency with SR 32

U.S. Route 33 during its brief concurrency with U.S. Route 50 and Ohio State Route 32 in Athens.

East of Milford, US 50 becomes a two-lane highway as it travels through Hillsboro and Bainbridge before reaching the outskirts of Chillicothe. In Chillicothe, US 50 becomes Western Avenue and then Main Street before merging with U.S. Route 23 and U.S. Route 35 east of the city. State Route 104 overlaps US 50 through downtown Chillicothe. As US 50 leaves Chillicothe it becomes a two-lane highway once again as it winds its way through McArthur and heavy forested Southern Ohio before reaching the outskirts of Athens where it becomes a four-lane highway. It will remain four-lane until reaching the Ohio River. US 50 joins with State Route 32 near the Ohio University Bush Airport–Snyder Field in Albany, west of Athens. US 50 intersects with U.S. Route 33 east of the city before continuing eastward toward Belpre and the Ohio River. US 50 begins to overlap SR 7 near Reedsville as it heads north along the river, and splits from SR 7 before it crosses the river on the Blennerhassett Island Bridge to Parkersburg, West Virginia.

History

In 1912 the route that would become US 50 was designated Main Market Route 45.^[4] In 1923, Main Market Route 45 was decommissioned and SR 7 replaced it from Indiana to Cincinnati. SR 27 from Cincinnati to Milford and SR 26 from Milford to Athens. US 50 replaced SR 144 from Athens to Coolville and SR 7 from Coolville to West Virginia state line. At this time the route that later became US 50 was paved between Indiana and Highland–Ross county line.^[5][6] In 1926 US 50 was signed on a route similar to today.^[7][8] The current route that US 50 between Athens and West Virginia became US 50S in 1929, with the current SR 550 becoming US 50N.^[9][10] US 50S and US 50N would be replaced with US 50 and US 50 Alt, in 1935.^[11][12]

The Columbia Parkway in Cincinnati was completed in 1941 and US 50 was rerouted onto the parkway.^[13][14] The road west of Cincinnati became a four-lane divided highway in 1949.^[15][16] In 1965 the Sixth Street Expressway open and US 50 was rerouted onto the expressway. Also in that year the section of US 50 that is concurrency with SR 7 became a four-lane divided highway.^[17][18] US 50 was routed onto the eastern section of the Athens bypass when it open, in 1977.^[19][20] The western section was opened in 1979 and US 50 was route onto that year.^[21][22] US 50 between Athens and Coolville became a four-lane divided highway between 1997 and 1999.^[23][24] Between 2003 and 2007 a new bridge across the Ohio River was built.^[25][26]

The section of the Columbia Parkway between William Howard Taft Road/Torrence Parkway and Delta Avenue has numerous abandoned staircases built into the Art Deco retaining walls (which were constructed in 1938 as part of the Works Progress Administration). The City of Cincinnati began the process of sealing up these staircases in 2008.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Hamilton	Elizabethtown	0.00	0.00	US 50 west	Indiana state line
	Cleves	3.73	6.00	SR 128 north	Southern terminus of SR 128
		4.49	7.23	SR 264 east	Western terminus of SR 264
	Cincinnati	18.60	29.93	SR 264 west	Western end of concurrency with SR 264
		18.74	30.16	Warsaw Avenue/Elberon Avenue	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
		19.31	31.08	West Mehring Way	Eastbound exit only
		19.54	31.45	Harriet Street	Westbound entrance only
		19.76	31.80	Freeman Avenue	Full eastbound access; westbound entrance only
		19.80	31.87	Linn Street	Eastbound entrance only; westbound exit
		20.13	32.40	Gest Street	Westbound exit only
		20.22	32.54	US 27 / US 42 / US 52 / US 127 SR 264 east	Eastern end of concurrency with SR 264 Exit to US 27/42/52/127
		20.28	32.64	I‑71 south / I‑75	Western end of I–71 concurrency
		21.37	34.39	I‑71 north – Columbus	Eastern end of concurrency with I-71, I-71 exit 1J
		21.91	35.26	I‑471 south–Newport	Access to I-471 Southbound only, I-471 exit 6A
		22.42	36.08	Martin Drive	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
				US 50 Truck / US 52	Eastbound exit; all trucks must exit
		27.64	44.48	SR 32 east / SR 125 east / SR 561 north / Beechmont Avenue	Western terminus of SR 32 and SR 125 Southern terminus of SR 561; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		28.25	45.46	US 50 Truck west (Eastern Avenue)	Eastbound entrance and westbound exit
	Terrace Park	36.04	58.00	SR 28 begins / SR 126 west	Eastern terminus of SR 126
Clermont	Milford	36.91	59.40	SR 28 east	Western end of SR 28 concurrency
		37.55	60.43	SR 131 east	Western terminus of SR 131
		39.11– 39.26	62.94– 63.18	SR 450 west to I‑275	Eastern terminus of SR 450; access to I–275
	Stonelick	43.62	70.20	SR 222 south	Northern terminus of SR 222
	Owensville	46.83	75.37	SR 132	Western end of concurrency with SR 132
		47.19	75.94	SR 132 / SR 276	Eastern end of concurrency with SR 132; northern terminus of SR 276
	Monterey	50.88	81.88	SR 133
	Marathon	54.26	87.32	SR 286 east	Western terminus of SR 286
Brown	Vera Cruz	57.35	92.30	SR 131
	Fayetteville	59.30	95.43	US 68
	St. Martin	61.25	98.57	SR 251 north	Southern terminus of SR 251
Highland	Dodsonville	65.68	105.70	SR 134 south	Western end of concurrency with SR 134
		65.77	105.85	SR 134 north	Eastern end of concurrency with SR 134
	Allenburg	67.76	109.05	SR 135 north	Southern terminus of SR 135
	Hillsboro	76.28	122.76	SR 124 west	Western end of concurrency with SR 124
		76.57	123.23	SR 73 north	Western end of SR 73 concurrency
		76.75	123.52	US 62 / SR 73 south / SR 138	Eastern end of SR 73 concurrency
		77.18	124.21	SR 124 east
	Rainsboro	86.29	138.87	SR 753 south	Western end of concurrency with SR 753
		87.23	140.38	SR 753 north	Eastern end of concurrency with SR 753
Ross	Bainbridge, Ross County	94.85	152.65	SR 41 south	Western end of concurrency with SR 41
		95.75	154.09	SR 41 north	Eastern end of concurrency with SR 41
	Slate Mills	110.17	177.30	SR 28 west	Eastern terminus of SR 28
	Chillicothe	114.84	184.82	SR 104 north	Western end of concurrency with SR 104
		115.18	185.36	SR 772 south	Northern terminus of SR 772
		115.60	186.04	US 23 Bus. north / SR 159 north	Southern end of concurrency with US 23 Business; southern terminus of SR 159
		116.12	186.88	US 23 Bus. south / SR 104 south	Southern end of Business US 23 concurrency; Eastern end of SR 104 concurrency
		118.14	190.13	US 23 north / US 35	Interchange; access to westbound US 35
		118.61	190.88	US 35	Northern end of US 35 concurrency; eastbound entrance and westbound exit
	Schrader	120.13	193.33	US 35 east – Jackson	Southern end of US 35 concurrency
	Londonderry, Ross County	127.07	204.50	SR 327 north	Western end of concurrency with SR 327
Vinton				SR 327 south	Eastern end of concurrency with SR 327
	Ratcliffburg			SR 671 west	Eastern terminus of SR 671
	Allensville			SR 683 south	Northern terminus of SR 683
	McArthur			SR 93
				SR 677 north	Southern terminus of SR 677
	Prattsville			SR 278 north	Southern terminus of SR 278
	Bolins Mills			SR 356 north	Southern terminus of SR 356
Athens	Albany			SR 143 south	Northern terminus of SR 143
				SR 32 west	Western end of concurrency with SR 32
				SR 681
	Athens			US 33 east – Pomeroy, Ravenswood	Western end of concurrency with US 33; Exit 18
				SR 682 north	Southern terminus of OH-681; Exit 17
				US 33 west – Columbus	Eastern end of concurrency with US 33; Exit 16
	Canaanville			SR 690 north	Southern terminus of SR 690
	Guysville			SR 329 north	Southern terminus of SR 329
	Coolville			SR 7 south – Pomeroy, Gallipolis	Western end of concurrency with SR 7 Interchange
				SR 144
Washington	Little Hocking			SR 124 west	Eastern terminus of SR 124
	Redbush			SR 555 north	Southern terminus of SR 555
	Porterfield			SR 618 east	Western terminus of SR 618
				SR 339	Interchange
				SR 7 north / SR 32 east	Eastern end of concurrencies with SR 7 and SR 32 Interchange
				SR 618
Ohio River				Blennerhassett Island Bridge (state line)
Wood	Parkersburg			US 50 east	Continuation into West Virginia
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

References

Route map: Bing / Google

U.S. Route 50
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