^Looking south from Exit 18 near Mason, August 2024.

Interstate 71 connects the three cities starting with C in Ohio: Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.  The overall path of Interstate 71 is a northeasterly one, as it cuts a diagonal across the state of Ohio. Interstate 71 enters Ohio crossing the Ohio River into Cincinnati while concurrent with Interstate 75. Soon after this, Interstate 71 diverts toward the east as a depressed freeway entrenched through downtown Cincinnati.  Emerging from the trench, Interstate 71 turns northerly as it meets the northern end of Interstate 471.  Interstate 71 heads northeast through the Cincinnati suburbs into rural areas.  Interstate 71 is bound for Columbus, along a diagonal path that is even more easterly than northerly.  Interstate 71 joins Interstate 70 for a short distance around the south side of downtown Columbus, but it soon turns northerly around the eastern edge of downtown Columbus.  Interstate 71 runs straight northerly at first, but it eventually turns more northeasterly past Mansfield, Ashland, and Lodi.  Near Medina, Interstate 71 turns northerly, but spawns Interstate 271 which continues northeasterly around the east side of the Cleveland area.  The final objective of Interstate 71 is to proceed northward into the heart of Cleveland. Interstate 71 passes the airport, then it ends at an interchange with Interstate 90 and Interstate 490.

​As with all of the Ohio Interstate pages, more information and a full exit list will come in the future. For now, enjoy this general information and a photo of the signage, in a similar fashion to how I do the state and US highway pages.

My photo of Interstate 71 signage in Ohio shows an older junction marker found along Ohio Route 73, west of Wilmington.  Westbound travelers on Ohio Route 73 will see this junction marker as they approach the interchange with Interstate 71. This photo was taken in February 2017, as I was moving southwesterly along Interstate 71 looking for sign photo opportunities.

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