Prior to the completion of Interstate 70 and Interstate 71 across Ohio, the City of Columbus began construction "expressways" that would link to the new Interstate System. The portion of Interstate 71 that bounds Worthington's eastern edge was called "The North Freeway", cost 13.8 million dollars, and was constructed south from State Route 161, arriving at 11th avenue by August, 1961. It took a year to get from 11th Avenue to 5th Avenue, mostly due to the need to construct a massive underpass under the Pennsylvania Railroad's Grogan Yard. Ironically, today only two tracks cross the viaduct, the rest of the structure supports a large, weedy field. By August 1962, the freeway had reached Fifth Avenue, and reached downtown in November 1962. It wasn't until 1966 that I-71 was complete between Cincinnati and Cleveland.