Notes
Short pieces about the loop, the mark, and how people use it. Written when there is something worth writing. RSS feed.
- using the mark
Loop, Broad and High, or the Confluence: Which in270 Mark Fits Your Place
The loop says you are inside 270. Broad and High is for places on the street grid, and the Confluence is for anything tied to the Scioto and Olentangy. Same files, same license, same rules for all three.
- the loop
What 'Inside 270' Really Means in Columbus
A plain-language explainer on what 'inside 270' actually means in Columbus: a conversational boundary, not a legal one, used differently by newcomers and natives, and the reason the in270 mark exists to give that phrase a shape.
- using the mark
Screen Printing the in270 Mark? Don't Send Your Printer the Vinyl File
A plain breakdown of why the vinyl-ready mono SVG and a screen-print-ready ink separation are not the same file, with a direct path to the correct format in the in270 kit and a hard line on never simplifying the traced geometry.
- using the mark
Why the in270 Mark Breaks Below 64 Pixels (And What to Use Instead)
The in270 mark loses its defining geometry, the Grove City hook and the flat north side, when shrunk below 64 pixels, so the kit includes a dedicated small-size file for favicons, embroidery, and tiny stickers instead of a resized version of the standard mark.
- inside the loop
The Downtown Split: Where 70 and 71 Actually Cross in Columbus
A plain-English guide to where I-70 and I-71 actually split in downtown Columbus, what a driver sees in that stacked interchange, and why that crossing point organizes the city more than the shape of the 270 outerbelt.
- your exit
Your Real Exit Isn't Your Home Exit, It's the One That Owns Your Commute
The exit you claim at a cookout usually isn't the exit that actually decides your day. This post walks through the difference between a home exit and a traffic exit on 270, using real interchanges like Sawmill, the 71/270 split, and the Grove City hook, and points readers to the /exit pages to find the stretch that really runs their commute.
- the loop
The Grove City Hook: Why 270 Bends Instead of Running Straight
The Grove City hook is a real bend in I-270's southwest side, traced accurately from OpenStreetMap data rather than smoothed into a circle, and it's part of the same pattern that makes the whole loop's shape a record of what got built around.
- using the mark
Why Road Salt Wrecks a Columbus Loop Sticker Faster Than a Summer of Sun
Road salt off 270, 70, 71, 670 and 315 degrades a sticker, cling, or garage door decal faster than a summer of UV ever does, and this post explains why it goes unnoticed, how to spot it by surface, and when to request a fresh window cling instead of letting one fade.
- around town
Who Actually Qualifies for the Free in270 Window Cling
A plain explainer on who actually qualifies for the free in270 window cling (independent, inside the loop, street-facing), why some requests get declined, and why qualifying shops sometimes wait, plus exactly how to request or check status.
- the loop
Why the in270 Mark Looks Hand-Drawn (Because It Is)
The in270 mark looks rough because it's traced straight from OpenStreetMap's I-270 path data, bulges and flat sides included, and the license forbids smoothing it into a neater shape.
- using the mark
What Is the Confluence Mark? The in270 Logo for the Rivers, Not the Road
The Confluence mark is in270's secondary logo for the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, meant for river-facing businesses rather than general inside-270 shops, with the same OpenStreetMap sourcing, license tiers, and free window cling program as the loop.
- the loop
What Does "Inside 270" Mean? Columbus Without a Center
"Inside 270" isn't a neighborhood name, it's a boundary Columbus uses instead of a single downtown center, and the loop's real, unsmoothed shape from OpenStreetMap is exactly why it works as identity.
- using the mark
Why the in270 Mark Chokes Vinyl Cutters (And the File That Fixes It)
The in270 mark carries far more anchor points than a typical logo because it's traced from real OpenStreetMap road data, which means low-quality files choke vinyl cutters on curves like the Grove City hook. This post explains how to pull the correct cutter-ready SVG from the download kit, why the minimum size rule matters even more for cutting than screen display, and why shop owners inside the loop can skip the file question entirely with the free window cling program.
- using the mark
How to cut the mark in vinyl
Files, materials, and settings for cutting the in270 mark in vinyl for a storefront window.
- inside the loop
Which way does 71 go through Columbus?
The split, the overlap with 70, and the straight run north through Worthington.
- the loop
Why the loop isn't a circle
The east bulge, the flat north side, and what 270 was routed around when it was built.
