The SmartLane on I-670 in Columbus is an emergency shoulder that opens to traffic only when crews clear it and signs show a green arrow. ODOT camera footage shows an SUV parked in a closed SmartLane and a second vehicle striking it after a truck safely merged away. The person outside the SUV jumped onto the median to avoid being hit. ODOT stresses that a red X means the lane is closed and motorists must pay attention to multiple electronic signs.
Near-Tragedy on Columbus I-670: Driver Ignores Red X, Strikes Parked SUV in SmartLane
Image Credit: Matt Bruning / X.
The SmartLane on I-670 in Columbus—an emergency shoulder that is opened to traffic only when conditions allow—nearly became the scene of a fatal accident after a driver ignored a clearly displayed red X.
Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) traffic cameras captured the incident, which was also reported by The Columbus Dispatch. An SUV had pulled into the SmartLane while the lane was closed, and a person stood beside the vehicle, apparently dealing with a mechanical issue. Using the shoulder for a breakdown is normal; the danger came next.
A truck approached in the closed lane, saw the parked SUV and merged out safely. A second vehicle then entered the closed lane, failed to slow, and struck the parked SUV. The person who had been standing next to the vehicle leapt onto the median wall to avoid being hit.
Viewers of dashcam and traffic-camera footage often describe a particular dread when they watch near-misses on highways. At interstate speeds, anyone on the shoulder is in serious danger if other drivers do not obey lane-control signals.
How the SmartLane Works
ODOT designed the SmartLane to act first as an emergency breakdown shoulder and second as a traffic lane. The managed shoulder is opened to traffic only when congestion or incidents justify it and after crews have swept the lane clear of disabled vehicles and debris. When closed, electronic signs display a red X; when open, a green arrow invites drivers to use the lane.
ODOT press secretary Matt Bruning: "The SmartLane on I-670 is first and foremost an emergency breakdown shoulder and only opened when traffic conditions warrant it and only after it has been cleared of any vehicles or debris. There are MULTIPLE signs showing when it is open and when it is closed. Pay attention!"
The red X is not a suggestion. In this instance the signal was visible and unambiguous, which makes the second driver’s failure to react all the more alarming.
Takeaways and Safety Reminder
- Treat a red X on a managed shoulder as a hard closure: someone or something may already be in the lane.
- When you see a red X, merge out of the lane as soon as it is safe to do so; when you see a green arrow, use the lane only when crews have confirmed it is clear.
- Slow down and give extra space when you see stopped vehicles or people on a highway shoulder.
What could have been a fatal incident instead became a stark safety warning. The split-second actions of one driver prevented a worse outcome—now the responsibility falls on every motorist to heed lane-control signs and protect people who have stopped on the shoulder.
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