I-73 updates?

[TempoNick]

I'm sure at some point someone brought this idea up, but what if ODOT built a WESTERN bypass of Delaware, roughly parallelling US-42 to US-33, then use I-270 around the west side of Columbus to loop around back to US-23 on the south side? Or worst case, just build a full-on freeway interchange at US-23 and US-42 west, then route a freeway down to US-33?

Right now, anyway, it's about 15 miles of new-terrain freeway alignment in favorable terrain  - the sprawl northward from Columbus hasn't *quite* reached US-42 yet. Connecting direct to I-71 would be somewhat shorter, but this might be more politically palatable.

Of course, the knee-jerk reaction would be to just punch new freeway/expressway down the US-68 and OH-292 corridors to East Liberrty, but now we're talking 50 miles of new freeway/expressway v.s. 10-15. At that point, (going really fictional now), I'd supplant all of US-23 north of the I-270 South Outerbelt with a US-223 designation and overlay US-23 on the new routing.

I think a very similar plan was once discussed as one of the options. But I think they were going to leave stop lights along us 42, which defeats the purpose. It needs to be freeway all the way.

[JREwing78]

I'm sure at some point someone brought this idea up, but what if ODOT built a WESTERN bypass of Delaware, roughly parallelling US-42 to US-33, then use I-270 around the west side of Columbus to loop around back to US-23 on the south side? Or worst case, just build a full-on freeway interchange at US-23 and US-42 west, then route a freeway down to US-33?

I think a very similar plan was once discussed as one of the options. But I think they were going to leave stop lights along us 42, which defeats the purpose. It needs to be freeway all the way.

Saw that post about 30 seconds after I posted. At any rate, that seems like an easier path to a full-freeway routing of US-23 instead of dealing with the narrow ROW and property acquisition by widening the current alignment south of Delaware.

[vtk]

A western bypass would tie into existing US 23 north of the city of Delaware. Utilizing the short freeway segment in downtown Delaware and upgrading US 42 in-place to get to US 33 has not been a seriously considered option, and in my opinion it would be just as expensive and less functional than a bypass on a new alignment to the west of the city.

By the way, there *was* a fully free-flowing partial interchange at the southern 23/42/Sandusky junction until about 2001. It was strictly northbound-to-northbound and southbound-to-southbound, and (IIRC) lacked connections between 42 and Sandusky St.

[thenetwork]

A western bypass would tie into existing US 23 north of the city of Delaware. Utilizing the short freeway segment in downtown Delaware and upgrading US 42 in-place to get to US 33 has not been a seriously considered option, and in my opinion it would be just as expensive and less functional than a bypass on a new alignment to the west of the city.

By the way, there *was* a fully free-flowing partial interchange at the southern 23/42/Sandusky junction until about 2001. It was strictly northbound-to-northbound and southbound-to-southbound, and (IIRC) lacked connections between 42 and Sandusky St.

I'm sure at some point someone brought this idea up, but what if ODOT built a WESTERN bypass of Delaware, roughly parallelling US-42 to US-33, then use I-270 around the west side of Columbus to loop around back to US-23 on the south side? Or worst case, just build a full-on freeway interchange at US-23 and US-42 west, then route a freeway down to US-33?

I think a very similar plan was once discussed as one of the options. But I think they were going to leave stop lights along us 42, which defeats the purpose. It needs to be freeway all the way.

Saw that post about 30 seconds after I posted. At any rate, that seems like an easier path to a full-freeway routing of US-23 instead of dealing with the narrow ROW and property acquisition by widening the current alignment south of Delaware.

How viable would it be to extend Sawmill Parkway from US-42 to US-23 at a point north of Delaware -- essentially making it a western bypass of Delaware?

I still think a full freeway connection from US-23 to I-71 is the most beneficial as most US-23 traffic is already going from northwest to southeast destinations and vice-versa.  I don't think as much traffic would prefer to double back from US-33.

[vtk]

Sawmill Parkway is planned to extend just a little further from its current end, west to Section Line Rd at the quarry. Improvements to Section Line Rd and a new road from its northern end northeast to 23 could be accomplished with sufficient local political will, I think, but it wouldn't be a freeway.

[Molandfreak]

I'm sure at some point someone brought this idea up, but what if ODOT built a WESTERN bypass of Delaware, roughly parallelling US-42 to US-33, then use I-270 around the west side of Columbus to loop around back to US-23 on the south side? Or worst case, just build a full-on freeway interchange at US-23 and US-42 west, then route a freeway down to US-33?

Right now, anyway, it's about 15 miles of new-terrain freeway alignment in favorable terrain  - the sprawl northward from Columbus hasn't *quite* reached US-42 yet. Connecting direct to I-71 would be somewhat shorter, but this might be more politically palatable.

Of course, the knee-jerk reaction would be to just punch new freeway/expressway down the US-68 and OH-292 corridors to East Liberrty, but now we're talking 50 miles of new freeway/expressway v.s. 10-15. At that point, (going really fictional now), I'd supplant all of US-23 north of the I-270 South Outerbelt with a US-223 designation and overlay US-23 on the new routing.

Can't do a US-223 in Central Ohio, as there is that "all important" 1‐2 mile stretch of US-223 in Ohio along the US ‐23 duplex. 

Move US 23 onto SR 15 and I-75 like they should've done in the first place, then US 223 can just replace it.

Because apparently it's an unpopular opinion here to re-route long-distance highways to expressways where they actually make sense, for some reason...

[TempoNick]

Shouldn't the Route 23 shield come first?

[TempoNick]

Also, you have to get rid of these minor control cities that are the habit with the US and State routes. The signs should say Toledo and Columbus only once they become all freeway.

I don't care what people say, US 23 is dangerous the way it is. There are too many trucks and they create too many blind spots at intersections. Add some night time driving, heavy traffic and some rain, and it can become hazardous.

[thenetwork]

Shouldn't the Route 23 shield come first?

No, as US-23 NORTH is the only route on this freeway at this point, unless you kept SR-15.

And since there is an existing  US-223 in Michigan, unless US-223 from Carey is routed all the way through Toledo to the existing 223, it would be better to make it a US-X20 as that's what would ultimately connect to (US-20) at its northern terminus.

Better yet, connect a US-x20 from Carey to the I-280 junction with the Ohio Turnpike, eliminating SR-420...Or just renumbered tat entire stretch US or SR-420.

[The Ghostbuster]

I have already stated that I think US 223 should end at US 23's Exit 5 in Michigan, or it should have remained along present-day OH 51. If US 223 isn't going to be decommissioned in Ohio, maybe they should have extended it south with 23 to terminate at the interchange with Interstate 475. That would have been a more logical terminus than the present one. Any talk of rerouting US 23 or extending US 223 should be regulated to Fictional Highways, since I don't think either will happen.

[TempoNick]

No, as US-23 NORTH is the only route on this freeway at this point, unless you kept SR-15.

I'm talking about the first graphic from I-75. Shouldn't it read US-23 South TO US-68?

[vtk]

I'm talking about the first graphic from I-75. Shouldn't it read US-23 South TO US-68?

No TO, because US-68 south properly begins at the junction with I-75.

[carbaugh2]

I'm hesitant to bring this back to the conversation, but Governor DeWine and ODOT Director Marchbanks have shared their thoughts in the linked Columbus Dispatch article.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2023/09/22/state-transportation-officials-focus-on-route-23-through-delaware/70918206007/

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I'm hesitant to bring this back to the conversation, but Governor DeWine and ODOT Director Marchbanks have shared their thoughts in the linked Columbus Dispatch article.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2023/09/22/state-transportation-officials-focus-on-route-23-through-delaware/70918206007/

The state's plans for dealing with U.S. 23 includes several options that focus on safety, said Toni Turowski, ODOT's District 6 deputy director and a traffic engineer. Throughout this and next year, there will be meetings with community and business leaders and the public. Final plans should be decided by the end of 2024, officials say.

Potential upgrades include:

Traditional interchange: Typically used on freeways with high volume, these replace an intersection with a bridge and ramps, eliminating the need for traffic lights. ODOT has not said where one or more might be used.
Connector road interchanges: These are also useful in high-traffic areas, replacing an intersection with a bridge and two-way connector roads, eliminating the need for traffic signals. Unlike traditional interchanges, they minimize impact to adjacent property.
Restricted crossing U-turns: Dubbed "R-turns," these would restrict side street left turns onto U.S. 23. Instead they would direct traffic onto U.S. 23 via a right turn, followed by an immediate U-turn lane which could employ a traffic signal.
Overpasses and underpasses: Allow for nonstop traffic on and off U.S. 23, with use of traffic signals.

[TempoNick]

This is so stupid. Just build a bypass around delaware, connect it to US 36 / Ohio 37, and make it all freeway until I-71. It may not be the best long-term solution, but compared to what we have, that's good enough for now.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

This is so stupid. Just build a bypass around delaware, connect it to US 36 / Ohio 37, and make it all freeway until I-71. It may not be the best long-term solution, but compared to what we have, that's good enough for now.

Yeah, you already wrote that 5 pages back, 2 years ago.

[TempoNick]

This is so stupid. Just build a bypass around delaware, connect it to US 36 / Ohio 37, and make it all freeway until I-71. It may not be the best long-term solution, but compared to what we have, that's good enough for now.

Yeah, you already wrote that 5 pages back, 2 years ago.

I wonder why they haven't done it. It's a pretty simple solution that would get the job done. Something else must be at play here.

[Rothman]

This is so stupid. Just build a bypass around delaware, connect it to US 36 / Ohio 37, and make it all freeway until I-71. It may not be the best long-term solution, but compared to what we have, that's good enough for now.

Yeah, you already wrote that 5 pages back, 2 years ago.

I wonder why they haven't done it. It's a pretty simple solution that would get the job done. Something else must be at play here.

Funding and priorities...

[TempoNick]

I wonder why they haven't done it. It's a pretty simple solution that would get the job done. Something else must be at play here.

Funding and priorities...

This should be pretty high priority. I would say that it's a higher priority than four lane-ing US 33 and a lot of other things they do

[Rothman]

I wonder why they haven't done it. It's a pretty simple solution that would get the job done. Something else must be at play here.

Funding and priorities...

This should be pretty high priority. I would say that it's a higher priority than four lane-ing US 33 and a lot of other things they do

You tell 'em.

[TempoNick]

This should be pretty high priority. I would say that it's a higher priority than four lane-ing US 33 and a lot of other things they do

You tell 'em.

There's always an outside hope that somebody in authority reads these boards.

[Rothman]

This should be pretty high priority. I would say that it's a higher priority than four lane-ing US 33 and a lot of other things they do

You tell 'em.

There's always an outside hope that somebody in authority reads these boards.

And the idea that an opinion on the board would overrule opinions that person hears from their agency's asset management committees/equivalents is ludicrous.

Best we can do is call up the agency and see where your idea falls on their priority list, if at all.

[TempoNick]

This should be pretty high priority. I would say that it's a higher priority than four lane-ing US 33 and a lot of other things they do

You tell 'em.

There's always an outside hope that somebody in authority reads these boards.

And the idea that an opinion on the board would overrule opinions that person hears from their agency's asset management committees/equivalents is ludicrous.

Best we can do is call up the agency and see where your idea falls on their priority list, if at all.

Who said I expect them to do that? But sometimes opinions can plant a thought in people's minds and they start thinking about things a different way. Ben Franklin wouldn't have written letters to the editor if it wasn't worth his time.

[JREwing78]

Showing up to the public meetings and responding to opportunities for public comments when made available can only help in that process. Contacting your local politicians to push for the project will also help the process. There are plenty enough NIMBYs out there; the folks who can make a US-23 freeway happen need to hear support for the idea so that it gets bumped up the priority list.

[Rothman]

This should be pretty high priority. I would say that it's a higher priority than four lane-ing US 33 and a lot of other things they do

You tell 'em.

There's always an outside hope that somebody in authority reads these boards.

And the idea that an opinion on the board would overrule opinions that person hears from their agency's asset management committees/equivalents is ludicrous.

Best we can do is call up the agency and see where your idea falls on their priority list, if at all.

Who said I expect them to do that? But sometimes opinions can plant a thought in people's minds and they start thinking about things a different way. Ben Franklin wouldn't have written letters to the editor if it wasn't worth his time.

Little else has been exaggerated as much as the influence of this forum...

You're speaking out of both sides of your mouth. In one breath you say their priorities aren't what they should be and then you say you don't expect them to change their priorities and then you say they might based upon a reading of your post.

Don't be so scared of just calling them up.  You'd be surprised how open they'll be to responding to you about where their priorities lie.