US 33 Upgrades in Ohio

[Buck87]

Ohio is in the slow process of converting US 33 to a full freeway from I-70 to the Lancaster bypass, a process consisting of several different projects that are in various stages of planning and funding. Some of this has been discussed previously in threads about other topics, so I'm starting this thread to keep future updates about this stretch of road under one roof. Here are some of the projects:

Carroll Interchange

This is the one project that is currently underway: http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/story/news/local/2015/03/07/carroll-interchange-construction/24568129/

Design map (pdf) - this will eliminate 2 at grade intersections and 1 traffic light, and build a new spread out interchange with new surface streets to access it.

Bixby Rd Interchange - Listed as TRAC tier 3, no funding yet, I haven't seen any drawings

Petzinger Rd Interchange - Several concepts drawn up as part of the larger Far East Freeway Study, haven't seen anything beyond that

Pickerington Rd Interchange - latest I saw on this was an article from 2013 that said Pickerington wants ODOT to build an interchange at Allen Rd instead

High St/Bowen Rd Overpass - I've seen it listed in some studies and articles, but not much other than that

Any further info or updates on any of these or any other potential work on this corridor?

[GCrites]

The Carroll work caught me by surprise. This stretch is part of my daily (well 4 days a week) so I try to stay on top of things.

[6a]

Over the past couple weeks I've noticed survey work, and now staking in the area of 33 and 270/Hamilton. The staking is in the median up to about a half mile north of 270, and is especially evident around Hamilton. I've seen stakes on the exits to Hamilton as well, and the former golf range place had a building demolished. What's up here?

[vtk]

Over the past couple weeks I've noticed survey work, and now staking in the area of 33 and 270/Hamilton. The staking is in the median up to about a half mile north of 270, and is especially evident around Hamilton. I've seen stakes on the exits to Hamilton as well, and the former golf range place had a building demolished. What's up here?

Paving The Way's 2015 Glovebox Guide, just out this week, doesn't list any projects at that location, so it's certainly something minor. Maybe it's related to those sign replacement plans you posted in the other thread?

[GCrites]

Over the past couple weeks I've noticed survey work, and now staking in the area of 33 and 270/Hamilton. The staking is in the median up to about a half mile north of 270, and is especially evident around Hamilton. I've seen stakes on the exits to Hamilton as well, and the former golf range place had a building demolished. What's up here?

Yeah that's been some serious survey work going on at 33 and 270. I see those guys a lot on my way to work. What I think goes on is that there's a lot of crashes involving the heavy 270E to 33E merge. The Armco in the 33 median has been replaced several times in the past year after suffering heavy damage.

The demo at the mini golf place is the old batting cages. It's been sitting like that for a long time. I don't think the guy who owns the place wants to pay to have the material hauled away is all.

[vtk]

What I think goes on is that there's a lot of crashes involving the heavy 270N to 33E merge.

Fixed for you. (The "corner" of I-270 is at Alum Creek Dr.)

[GCrites]

Oh, I always screw that up.

[vtk]

Yeah, the only obvious corner is at 33/161 in Dublin.

[Buck87]

The Carroll work caught me by surprise. This stretch is part of my daily (well 4 days a week) so I try to stay on top of things.

That whole thing is an interesting design. I'm sure there will be some locals not thrilled at having to go so far to get to the other side of 33, though it looks like this was the best way of building an interchange without having to tear down a bunch of stuff.

[6a]

It reminds me of the SR 16/Cherry Valley design in some ways.

[vtk]

The Carroll work caught me by surprise. This stretch is part of my daily (well 4 days a week) so I try to stay on top of things.

That whole thing is an interesting design. I'm sure there will be some locals not thrilled at having to go so far to get to the other side of 33, though it looks like this was the best way of building an interchange without having to tear down a bunch of stuff.

Yeah, the lack of a "Carrol Southern Connector" strikes me as odd and potentially inconvenient for a lot of local trips. I suppose it's not out of the question for Fairfield County to build it themselves at some point, as it wouldn't have to intersect US 33 or its ramps directly. I imagine such a road might start at Carroll Southern Road about ¼ mile south of the I&O tracks, proceed east, northeast, and north, to end at Plum Road east of Bloom Carroll High School. It would go over both the railroad and US 33. But that's just my amateur opinion.

[Henry]

How long before they extend the freeway all the way to Athens? In between there and Lancaster, lots of at-grade intersections still exist.

[cl94]

Petzinger Rd will likely stay partially at-grade, especially if the current plans are what is used.

The Carroll interchange is needed, but I don't like the lack of access. I'm surprised they didn't elevate or depress US 33 for a stretch to improve access for cross traffic.

Bixby Rd has been on the plans for years and I've seen all sorts of proposed configurations on various online mapping services.

At this point, it's pretty much expressway grade from I-70 to US 50 and mostly "restricted access" through I-77. Hey, they may as well dualize the super 2 section and call it I-73 

[Buck87]

Petzinger Rd will likely stay partially at-grade, especially if the current plans are what is used.

Which are what? Just curious since I can't find anything about this project more recent than the multiple concept link from 2013 I posted above (other than this article which seams to be referencing the same thing)

[cl94]

Petzinger Rd will likely stay partially at-grade, especially if the current plans are what is used.

Which are what? Just curious since I can't find anything about this project more recent than the multiple concept link from 2013 I posted above (other than this article which seams to be referencing the same thing)

The plans from District 6's Far East Freeway Study page

[Buck87]

Ah, I see what you mean. They have the Option 4 plan from the 2013 far east study listed as the preferred alternative.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D06/projects/FarEastFreewayStudy/Documents/Petzinger%20Option%204.pdf

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D06/projects/FarEastFreewayStudy/Documents/Petzinger_Cam_1.jpg

The only part of that plan that's still at grade at Petzinger is traffic coming from the already arterial portion of 33 north of 70, which is no big deal IMO. The main movements of 70 to 33 and 33 to 70 are what get the upgrade. Looks like one little issue with that plan is that traffic coming off Petzinger to 33 west will no longer be able to access the loop ramp to 70 west, but at least that traffic can use the College Ave to Livingston portion of 33 to get on 70 at exit 103.

[vtk]

From the 315 thread:

What the heck is there to do on 33 between Dublin and Bexley?  Possibly answering my own question, last night I saw enhanced mile markers at the intersection of Livingston & College, which is just weird.

Also: is the ramp from SB OH 257 to EB US 33 going to be called exit 0?

[6a]

Looks like just work around the Twin Rivers area from what I can tell.

Yeah, those enhanced mile markers go all the way down College - I imagine it's a super-reassurance thing. Or a test. Either way, it's weird to just have them there and nowhere else on the U.S./ State Route system, especially if they're going balls out on numbering exits.

[PurdueBill]

By enhanced mile markers, do we mean the blue ones with shield and 2/10 mileage?  If so, they are out there in Ohio in many places on US and state routes and have been for a while.  I've seen them on US 35, OH 8, US 422, OH 315 to name a few.  (315 even has a few odd-tenth ones.)  These predated exit numbering even.

[vtk]

By enhanced mile markers, do we mean the blue ones with shield and 2/10 mileage?  If so, they are out there in Ohio in many places on US and state routes and have been for a while.  I've seen them on US 35, OH 8, US 422, OH 315 to name a few.  (315 even has a few odd-tenth ones.)  These predated exit numbering even.

Yes but I'm pretty sure putting them on conventional surface streets is new.

[6a]

By enhanced mile markers, do we mean the blue ones with shield and 2/10 mileage?  If so, they are out there in Ohio in many places on US and state routes and have been for a while.  I've seen them on US 35, OH 8, US 422, OH 315 to name a few.  (315 even has a few odd-tenth ones.)  These predated exit numbering even.

Yes but I'm pretty sure putting them on conventional surface streets is new.

Yeah, this is the one vtk's referring to - they go down College as well, joining up with the freeway portion. I've not seen them in that setting anywhere else.

[PurdueBill]

How very Massachusetts of them.  Mass has been putting 2/10 mile markers on surface state routes for a while as well as limited access ones.  Seems like overkill maybe, but they must have their reasons.
I could see a rule that if some part of the route is limited access, the whole route gets the markers.  Otherwise it's on and off and on.

[tdindy88]

Evansville, Indiana has mile markers along surface streets as well, but I've never seen them in Ohio. I've driven that stretch of 33 a few times from Columbus to Lancaster before. I suppose there hasn't been anything about actual exit numbers along that highway down past Logan, Nelsonville and Athens has there? I know there are exit numbers in Nelsonville BTW.

[cl94]

By enhanced mile markers, do we mean the blue ones with shield and 2/10 mileage?  If so, they are out there in Ohio in many places on US and state routes and have been for a while.  I've seen them on US 35, OH 8, US 422, OH 315 to name a few.  (315 even has a few odd-tenth ones.)  These predated exit numbering even.

Yes but I'm pretty sure putting them on conventional surface streets is new.

Yeah, this is the one vtk's referring to - they go down College as well, joining up with the freeway portion. I've not seen them in that setting anywhere else.

[image removeed]

I didn't know that stretch was even state-maintained. Thought Livingston, Main, and Broad were entirely local maintenance.

[vtk]

By enhanced mile markers, do we mean the blue ones with shield and 2/10 mileage?  If so, they are out there in Ohio in many places on US and state routes and have been for a while.  I've seen them on US 35, OH 8, US 422, OH 315 to name a few.  (315 even has a few odd-tenth ones.)  These predated exit numbering even.

Yes but I'm pretty sure putting them on conventional surface streets is new.

Yeah, this is the one vtk's referring to - they go down College as well, joining up with the freeway portion. I've not seen them in that setting anywhere else.

[image removeed]

I didn't know that stretch was even state-maintained. Thought Livingston, Main, and Broad were entirely local maintenance.

As I understand it, that should be local maintenance. But that doesn't mean ODOT can't erect signs in cooperation with the local jurisdictions.