Emergency towing by Roadside Towing & Recovery Inc in Columbus, Ohio
Events & Places

Polaris Towing, Jump Starts and Lockouts Near Polaris Fashion Place

Dead battery in the mall lot, keys locked inside, or a breakdown near I-71 exit 121? Dispatch picks up around the clock.

Call (740) 812-9489

Polaris towing help for drivers stranded at Polaris Fashion Place, along Polaris Parkway, or in the office parks around I-71 exit 121 starts with a call to (740) 812-9489. This page has one job: to walk you through what to do when your vehicle quits in north Columbus's busiest shopping district, and how our crew handles it once you call. The mall sits just north of the Franklin and Delaware county line, inside a far larger commercial development that includes restaurants, offices, apartments and the McCoy Center. Because of that mix, breakdowns here happen in sprawling surface lots, at jammed signals on the parkway, and in private lots that post their own tow-away rules. Keep reading for how to describe your spot to dispatch, what a jump or lockout costs, how the holiday rush changes things, and what to do if a lot operator already removed your car.

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Breaking down near exit 121 and on Polaris Parkway

State Route 750 turns into Polaris Parkway as it loops around the mall and ends at I-71 exit 121, a partial interchange where southbound drivers get onto the freeway through the separate Gemini Place ramps built in 2007 just to the north. The Delaware County Engineer describes the Polaris and Gemini interchange as severely congested for several hours a day, so a stalled car on a ramp or at the parkway signals quickly becomes a hazard.

If you lose power on a ramp or the interstate shoulder, turn on your hazards, stay belted if traffic is too close to step out safely, and call 911 first if anyone is hurt or you are sitting in a live lane. Then call us for emergency towing. A call on I-71 itself carries the +$75 highway surcharge shown on our rate card; a car that dies in a parking lot off the parkway does not.

When you call, tell the dispatcher which direction you were headed, whether you are on the exit 121 ramp, the Gemini Place ramp or the parkway itself, and the nearest business sign you can read.

Dead batteries and locked keys in the mall lots

The two-level mall is ringed by open surface parking, and the anchor stores make the best landmarks for finding you: Macy's, JCPenney, Von Maur and Dick's House of Sport each have their own entrance. Telling dispatch that you are three rows out from the Von Maur doors is far more useful than saying you are somewhere in the Polaris lot.

A jump start is a flat $75 plus en-route at $4 per mile from our yard, and it comes with a battery test and a printed report so you know whether the battery is actually failing. If it is, we can do a mobile battery replacement right in the parking space instead of sending you to a store.

Keys visible on the seat or in the ignition? Our lockout service is priced the same way, $75 plus $4 a mile en-route, and have your ID ready so the tech can confirm the car is yours before opening it.

Holiday season and event crowds

The shopping center hosts more than 75 events a year, and the stretch from late November through December brings holiday character visits, extended store hours and heavier traffic on every approach. Cold mornings, headlights left on during a long shopping trip, and short stop-and-go drives between stores are a classic recipe for a battery that will not turn over at closing time.

Plan for the parkway and the exit 121 ramps to move slowly on busy shopping weekends, and expect our arrival estimate to reflect that. Most metro calls are reached in 20 to 40 minutes, but that is an estimate, never a guarantee. Weekend calls add $50, and anything between 10PM and 6AM adds the after-hours charge listed on the rate card.

If you need a tow rather than a jump, we can bring a flatbed and take the car to your home or a shop in Westerville, Lewis Center or anywhere else you choose.

If a private lot already towed your car

Many of the restaurant, office and retail lots in the Polaris development are privately owned and posted with tow-away signs. Under Ohio law (ORC 4513.601), a private-property tow requires those posted signs, and the sign must list who tows and where the car is taken.

Start by reading the sign at the spot where you parked and calling the number on it. We do not release cars from another company's lot or from the city impound lot. Once you have your release in hand, though, we can pick the vehicle up there and haul it to a repair shop or your driveway. Our guide on finding a towed car in Columbus lists the documents you will need.

If a tow truck is still hooked to your car when you walk out, ask the operator about releasing it on the spot; our towed-car guide explains how Ohio's rules handle that situation.

Polaris Fashion Place: common questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does Polaris towing cost?

A standard tow is $4 a mile en-route, $125 to hook up, and $7 for each loaded mile. Surcharges apply for highway pickups (+$75), weekends (+$50), large vehicles (+$100), and calls between 10PM and 6AM (+$150). Everything is spelled out on our rate card, so you can estimate the total before the truck is dispatched to Polaris Parkway.

My car will not start in the Polaris Fashion Place lot. What should I tell dispatch?

Give the closest anchor entrance, such as Macy's, JCPenney, Von Maur or Dick's House of Sport, plus roughly how many rows out you parked and your vehicle's color and make. If you are on the outdoor promenade side or near a restaurant pad, name the business. The more precise the landmark, the less time the driver spends searching a very large lot.

Can you replace my battery in the parking lot instead of towing?

Yes, in many cases. Every jump start includes a battery test with a printed report. If the test shows the battery is worn out, the technician can install a new one on the spot, so you can drive home from the lot. If the problem turns out to be the starter or alternator instead, we can tow the car to a shop.

How fast can you reach Polaris?

Most calls in the metro area are reached in 20 to 40 minutes, while outer communities run 40 to 60. That is an estimate, not a promise. Heavy holiday traffic around exit 121 and on Polaris Parkway can stretch it, and the dispatcher will give you an updated expectation when you call.

Are you the towing company that enforces the mall or nearby lots?

No. We are an independent company with no connection to Polaris Fashion Place or the surrounding development, and we do not patrol or enforce any lot there. If your car was removed, the posted sign names the company that took it. We can help after you have the release by towing the car where you need it.

Do you tow electric vehicles from Polaris?

Yes. Every EV we move rides with all four wheels off the ground, either on a flatbed or on a wheel-lift with dollies. If the car is completely dead, we give it a 12-volt jump first so it can be shifted into transport mode, which protects the drive motors during loading.

Related help

Roadside Towing & Recovery Inc is an independent towing company and is not affiliated with Polaris Fashion Place, its owner or management, the POLARIS Centers of Commerce development, or any store in the area.

Roadside Towing & Recovery Inc (dba Columbus Roadside Towing).
Corporate office (private, no walk-ins): 3879 Regatta Ct, Lewis Center, OH 43035
Tow yard & impound lot: 1620 Harrisburg Pike, Columbus, OH 43223
(740) 812-9489 · chris@columbusroadsidetowing.com

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