Ohio 161 Expansion for New Intel Plant

[Rothman]

Unfortunately, the 6-lane expansion will only get you to the 161/37/York Road intersection. However, Intel's recent announcement that it likely won't meet the 2025 opening goal (https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/ohio-residents-and-state-senator-offer-thoughts-on-updates-to-intel-project/) gives ODOT extra time to get the project rolling.

The good news is that the bridge reconstruction project on 16 (same highway) between Granville and Newark is making them capable of supporting 3 lanes in each direction. I don't see it getting to 6 lanes through Newark, though. Much like I-70 through Zanesville, the right of way is too narrow to allow for it.

If the powers that be want something, they'll make it happen. But using the existing segment would be a little messy, I think. Bypass to the north of Nerk?

Why is there a need for a bypass of the existing OH 16 freeway through Newark?

"What do you mean. why's it got to be built?  It's a bypass.  You've got to build bypasses."

[TempoNick]

Why is there a need for a bypass of the existing OH 16 freeway through Newark? Where would this hypothetical additional traffic go once it gets past Newark? OH 16 goes back to two lanes as it approaches Coshocton County. OH 146, the other major route for traffic taking OH 16 out of Newark, is also two lanes.

Adding a lane through there might cause problems elsewhere. Does sleepy Nerk want six lanes of traffic going through there? It's a tight configuration with a lot of exits jammed through there plus a connection with Ohio 79 that has to be dealt with. Can Ohio 79 handle all that traffic dumped into it? Is there room to reconfigure everything so that there aren't any bottlenecks? It seems like a bypass to the north allows you to avoid all that and gives you a clean slate to work with.

[Bitmapped]

Why is there a need for a bypass of the existing OH 16 freeway through Newark? Where would this hypothetical additional traffic go once it gets past Newark? OH 16 goes back to two lanes as it approaches Coshocton County. OH 146, the other major route for traffic taking OH 16 out of Newark, is also two lanes.

Adding a lane through there might cause problems elsewhere. Does sleepy Nerk want six lanes of traffic going through there? It's a tight configuration with a lot of exits jammed through there plus a connection with Ohio 79 that has to be dealt with. Can Ohio 79 handle all that traffic dumped into it? Is there room to reconfigure everything so that there aren't any bottlenecks? It seems like a bypass to the north allows you to avoid all that and gives you a clean slate to work with.

You missed my point: Why is there a need for 6 lanes of traffic through/around Newark?

[seicer]

Newark isn't exactly sleepy (replying to TempoNick) - it's at 50,000 in population and with the completion of the freeway, it's becoming a bedroom community of Columbus (like all of the ring cities around the area). There have been significant development projects in the city that really increase its presence.

As for traffic counts, it's 32,000 west of Granville, 38,000 just west of OH Route 79 in Newark, 50,000 to 39,000 through the city, and 30,000 east of Newark. It really drops to under 8,000 by the time you get to Dresden. At a minimum, the remaining at-grades should be removed along the freeways, and consideration should be made on making the freeway more efficient - before widening as the right-of-way through the city is constrained.

[webny99]

How many traffic signals are remaining between Newark and the OH 16/OH 146 split? Those are egregious, and I would say removing them should easily be the #1 priority. That would create a continuous freeway corridor which would do much more to improve the corridor (especially in terms of safety) than a widening.

[TempoNick]

You missed my point: Why is there a need for 6 lanes of traffic through/around Newark?

Because Intel is going to create a lot of spin-off and that is going to be a pretty good connector to the outer outer belt which will need to be constructed somewhere through there. I personally don't like all this growth Columbus is getting, but it's better than the alternative of no growth. I liked the old Columbus size-wise, but I like the new Columbus with the higher end things we get to see and experience. I guess you could only have one or the other.

[seicer]

There is an at-grade intersection with TR 131 River Road west of Newark, although it is now a right-in, right-out. East of Newark, there are at-grade signalized intersections with Dayton Road, Marne Road, and Brownsville Road. There are no projects in the queue for Route 16 at this time: https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/all-projects#page=1&subset=counties,Licking

[TempoNick]

There is an at-grade intersection with TR 131 River Road west of Newark, although it is now a right-in, right-out. East of Newark, there are at-grade signalized intersections with Dayton Road, Marne Road, and Brownsville Road. There are no projects in the queue for Route 16 at this time: https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/all-projects#page=1&subset=counties,Licking

Why is that called Dayton Road? Was it once the way to Dayton? I don't see anything that could be a direct route to Dayton from there.

[carbaugh2]

So much to unpack in the last few posts. I'll try to fill in some missing information.

There is only a RIRO at 16 East and River Rd in Granville. The RIRO between 16 West and River Rd was closed off when the 37 East/661 interchange was rehabilitated a couple of years ago. I don't have a good answer about Dayton Road's naming origins, but it's likely for an early landowner in the nearby area.

The discussion about adding capacity through (it won't go around) Newark is because of the growth along the corridor that is currently taking place and will speed up once Intel begins its operations near Johnstown (I know New Albany annexed the property, but it's much closer to Johnstown than New Albany proper).

I also saw posts about an outer outer belt and, more importantly, north-south connections. My opinion is the 2nd outerbelt is purely speculation (it's been in Columbus Dispatch articles, so it isn't limited to message boards), but there are valid concerns and questions about north-south traffic. LCATS and the City of Heath are already planning to expand Thornwood Drive to a 4-lane parkway which will meet up with the extension of Thornwood Crossing and and its interchange with 16 in Newark. Based on current plans, my best guess is that Fairfield County's proposed 70-33 connector (https://www.morpc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/FAI_I-70_to_US_33_Connector.pdf) will be constructed and extended through Licking County to 161, likely somewhere between 310 and Mink St.

UPDATE: For those you hoping to use the 158 Super-2 right of way in a project or even get pictures, PID 93290 is going to bid on 4/18/24 to get rid of the Loop Rd overpass and turn it into an at-grade intersection.

[TempoNick]

Based on current plans, my best guess is that Fairfield County's proposed 70-33 connector (https://www.morpc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/FAI_I-70_to_US_33_Connector.pdf) will be constructed and extended through Licking County to 161, likely somewhere between 310 and Mink St.

Freeways. We need freeways. Where are the forward thinking people who understand the need to get the infrastructure in place now? People put their necks on the line to design and build the freeway system we have now. But metro Columbus is double or triple the population. Somebody needs to have a little foresight and do what past generations did. Bite the bullet and get it done now so we don't have another mess like US 23.

[carbaugh2]

While looking at projects for 33 on the Upcoming Projects spreadsheet (https://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/ContractAdmin/Contracts/Pages/upcoming-projects-overview.aspx), I noticed that project 95445 is scheduled to be let in January 2026 that will perform major rehabilitation on 16/37 through Granville (MM 14.24/15.72). The part that caught my eye is that it includes adding general purpose lanes. While I knew that the new bridges on 16 between River Rd and Thornwood Crossing (eventually Drive) would be built to handle 6 lanes of traffic, I had not heard anything about adding lanes. I hope they will also address the weaving concerns between the interchanges where 16 and 37 enter/exit the freeway.

[carbaugh2]

It is nice to see progress being made through the New Albany construction zone, especially in comparison to the 70/270 interchange on the east side of Columbus. Crews have been installing base layers of asphalt between Hamilton and New Albany Roads as well as near 62. Plenty of rebar is going in place to prepare of pouring the center median wall as well. Unfortunately, the traffic levels don't afford any photo spots, and ODOT does not run many drone videos of construction areas.