Staying on track. (proposed bullet train, Ohio)

Staying on track

When it comes to traveling between Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, the easiest way to get there from here on the ground is by driving on I-71 - except when orange barrels get in the way.

The interstates' popularity is reflected in county-by-county traffic volume statistics compiled by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

For instance, according to the most recent figures from ODOT's Cleveland district office, the average number of vehicles using I-71 at the Medina and Cuyahoga county line grew from 40,520 a day in 1984 to 45,210 in 1988. Similarly, at the Hamilton and Warren county line on I-75 north of Cincinnati, estimated traffic grew from 27,620 per day in 1982 to 42,710 this year.

Despite I-71's growing usage, or perhaps more …