A three-to-five-vehicle crash on eastbound Interstate 270 near Cleveland Avenue killed one person and left another critically injured early Thursday, shutting down the highway for roughly five hours during the overnight hours on Columbus's north side. The wreck happened around 12:30 a.m. near Cleveland Avenue.
10TV reported that the critically injured survivor was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital, a major trauma center serving Columbus's north side. According to WSYX, police said between three and five cars were involved, and the exact cause of the crash remained unclear as of Thursday morning.
The crash occurred near Dempsey Road. First responders converged on the scene after calls came in.
Hours-Long Shutdown Snarled Overnight Traffic
All eastbound lanes of I-270, along with connecting ramps from both directions of Interstate 71 to eastbound I-270, were shut down for roughly five hours before reopening around 5:30 a.m., the same 10TV report noted. The closure affected one of central Ohio's busiest commuter junctions, forcing overnight traffic through detours during the shutdown.
That shutdown collided with already-scheduled roadwork. An Ohio Department of Transportation traffic advisory had announced overnight construction closures for the I-270 eastbound ramp to I-71 northbound from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday, directing detoured traffic toward Cleveland Avenue — the same area where the fatal crash occurred. The advisory was tied to a broader reconstruction project that includes widening ramps, replacing bridges and is scheduled to run through fall 2027, according to Ohio Department of Transportation project records.
A Corridor Already Known for Crashes
The stretch of I-270 between U.S. 23 and Huntley Road along the Worthington border has long been flagged as the Outerbelt's most crash-dense segment. An analysis by 614NOW, based on Ohio State Highway Patrol data, recorded 311 crashes on that segment since 2021 — a figure Hoodline previously detailed in its reporting on Outerbelt crash trends. The same highway patrol data showed that evening rush hour between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. is typically the worst hour for crashes on that corridor, with Fridays and Saturdays logging the highest daily collision totals — though Thursday's wreck happened early Thursday morning.
The crash occurred on I-270 near Cleveland Avenue in Columbus. Police have not released the crash's official cause or identified those involved.
Part of a Troubling Pattern on the Outerbelt
Hoodline reported in June on a fatal I-270 incident near Easton. Hoodline reported in June on a speeding BMW rollover near Easton that killed its driver and froze the highway for hours. Details about other incidents are not included here.
Fatal crashes elsewhere on the Outerbelt are part of the broader safety context. Statewide, roadway safety has drawn broader attention.
