US 33 Upgrades in Ohio

[TempoNick]

The Columbus Dispatch had a flashback story that popped up in my feed about the Lancaster bypass. It still is a beautiful drive.

https://www.dispatch.com/picture-gallery/news/2024/10/25/photos-rt-33-lancaster-bypass-opened-20-years-ago/75311315007/

[Black-Man]

Bixby Road, Rager Road and whatever else they need to shut down will get used to it.

Stop fooling around and do this the right way.

Welp... looks like a RIRO for Rager Road got fast-tracked. Construction starts 9/11/25.

https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/projects/122765

And speaking of fast-tracked. Has anyone seen this? Is this correct? It states the project to upgrade US33 to 4 lane starts 6/1/25. I traveled US33 in December and noticed the tree clearing project had begun. (search for district 10)

https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/construction-guides/construction-guides

[GCrites]

According to MORPCs interactive map traffic counts on the section of Rager Road between 33 and Bixby Road were 99 VPD before the two warehouses went up. How many of them were crossing 33?

[TempoNick]

Bixby Road, Rager Road and whatever else they need to shut down will get used to it.

Stop fooling around and do this the right way.

Welp... looks like a RIRO for Rager Road got fast-tracked. Construction starts 9/11/25.

https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/projects/122765

And speaking of fast-tracked. Has anyone seen this? Is this correct? It states the project to upgrade US33 to 4 lane starts 6/1/25. I traveled US33 in December and noticed the tree clearing project had begun. (search for district 10)

https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/construction-guides/construction-guides

RIROs coming off of a freeway are stupid.

If they don't have money for an overpass bridge, they should be doing a full off-ramp (and on-ramp), just like they did at I-70 and Ohio 204.

The idiocy displayed here is downright offensive to me.

[seicer]

And speaking of fast-tracked. Has anyone seen this? Is this correct? It states the project to upgrade US33 to 4 lane starts 6/1/25. I traveled US33 in December and noticed the tree clearing project had begun. (search for district 10)

https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/construction-guides/construction-guides

I wonder if the project was "fast-tracked" because the planning and engineering were completed when the highway was initially built. If they are using plans that are 20 years old, then they would only need to make minor updates or revisions. Additionally, there are no significant environmental hurdles to address.

[The Ghostbuster]

The photograph they use for the US 33/Rager Rd. intersection is actually this intersection in Ashland: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8626193,-82.2885172,1024m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNi4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D.

[carbaugh2]

The 33 widening was always slated to start this spring since it was introduced last year. The plans for both sections were developed when 33 was rerouted back in the early 2000s. I still wish they would convert the Meigs CR 28 intersection into a full interchange or at least a RIRO like the current 33/681 intersection.

[Bitmapped]

The photograph they use for the US 33/Rager Rd. intersection is actually this intersection in Ashland: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8626193,-82.2885172,1024m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNi4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D.

US 42/US 250 is their default image for all projects.

[wriddle082]

Took 33 from Logan to I-77 today.  They have started clearing trees and brush from the future new carriageway ROWs.  From Athens to Darwin, the new carriageway will be EB, and from Pomeroy to the Ohio River, the new carriageway will be WB.  It also looked like they were doing some sort of core drilling just E of Pomeroy.

The concrete on both existing sections seems to be in pretty decent shape, but definitely needs a diamond grinding after the new carriageways are completed.

[TempoNick]

Took 33 from Logan to I-77 today.  They have started clearing trees and brush from the future new carriageway ROWs.  From Athens to Darwin, the new carriageway will be EB, and from Pomeroy to the Ohio River, the new carriageway will be WB.  It also looked like they were doing some sort of core drilling just E of Pomeroy.

I wonder if West Virginia has that second bridge fast-tracked. You would almost think that it is on their radar.

That last section doesn't bother me so much because it's rural, but everything else north of that to Columbus should be freeway, freeway, freeway!

The concrete on both existing sections seems to be in pretty decent shape, but definitely needs a diamond grinding after the new carriageways are completed.

Kind of off topic, but recently I drove US 35 east of Xenia and the concrete pavement on that stretch was really bad. Those two highway segments are about the same age I think. Either US 35 has a lot more truck traffic, or they did something wrong when they were building it.

[carbaugh2]

I reached out to WVDOT in December about the Ravenswood bridge and ended up getting a reply from ODOT District 10. ODOT paid for a feasibility study, and the hope is it will be completed this summer.

[TempoNick]

I reached out to WVDOT in December about the Ravenswood bridge and ended up getting a reply from ODOT District 10. ODOT paid for a feasibility study, and the hope is it will be completed this summer.

Sounds like a good trade. We'll help pay for the bridge if you guys take care of the rest.

I wonder why this project has been resurrected all of a sudden. It doesn't seem like the highest priority project in the state. I'm wondering if there is some federal money coming down the pike that hasn't been announced yet.

[Bitmapped]

I reached out to WVDOT in December about the Ravenswood bridge and ended up getting a reply from ODOT District 10. ODOT paid for a feasibility study, and the hope is it will be completed this summer.

Sounds like a good trade. We'll help pay for the bridge if you guys take care of the rest.

ODOT has a page for the project at https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/projects/120478. A public meeting is scheduled in April.

WVDOH has a funding shortfall and the new governor's administration has indicated that new construction is going to be sharply reduced. To the extent that West Virginia is able to allocate its limited funding towards new projects, twinning an existing structure for a project that provides minimal benefit to West Virginia is about the least justifiable way it could be spent. If ODOT wants the bridge dualized, it should pony up for it itself.

[TempoNick]

So you don't think anything gets shipped out of West Virginia into Ohio and beyond? (Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, etc.) You don't think that keeps people employed? You don't think the 112 miles Ohio has already constructed between Ravenswood and Columbus, 35 mi being four laned, with only a bridge and two miles remaining should be finished by West Virginia?

[Bitmapped]

So you don't think anything gets shipped out of West Virginia into Ohio and beyond? (Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, etc.) You don't think that keeps people employed? You don't think the 112 miles Ohio has already constructed between Ravenswood and Columbus, 35 mi being four laned, with only a bridge and two miles remaining should be finished by West Virginia?

ODOT decided to dualize US 33 for its own reasons, not because traffic justifies it. Traffic counts east of Pomeroy are under 5000 AADT, well within the range where two lanes is adequate.

According to WVDOH's traffic data, peak hour volumes on the Ravenswood Bridge are under 300 vehicles/hour/direction. The bridge operates squarely in Level of Service A territory. ODOT and WVDOH both consider LOS C or better their design standard for expressways and arterials. Traffic could quadruple on the existing bridge and it would still perform at LOS C.

So, no, I'm not in favor of West Virginia spending money dualizing a bridge that already perform significantly better than the design standard.

[TempoNick]

So you don't think anything gets shipped out of West Virginia into Ohio and beyond? (Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, etc.) You don't think that keeps people employed? You don't think the 112 miles Ohio has already constructed between Ravenswood and Columbus, 35 mi being four laned, with only a bridge and two miles remaining should be finished by West Virginia?

ODOT decided to dualize US 33 for its own reasons, not because traffic justifies it. Traffic counts east of Pomeroy are under 5000 AADT, well within the range where two lanes is adequate.

According to WVDOH's traffic data, peak hour volumes on the Ravenswood Bridge are under 300 vehicles/hour/direction. The bridge operates squarely in Level of Service A territory. ODOT and WVDOH both consider LOS C or better their design standard for expressways and arterials. Traffic could quadruple on the existing bridge and it would still perform at LOS C.

So, no, I'm not in favor of West Virginia spending money dualizing a bridge that already perform significantly better than the design standard.

Traditionally you've been tied at the hip to Ohio. More people who leave West Virginia still move here then any other state. The idea was to have good connectivity between the two state capitals. I think it's a good project, especially if it ends up being Interstate 73.

Alternatively, this kind of road from Findlay to Ravenswood is worthy of the Ohio 1 designation. But then you have that 2 mi section in West Virginia.

[GCrites]

The 2026-'29 Ohio Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan is out and it has RCUTs and U-turns for the US-33/Petzinger Rd. intersection just south of I-70. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/transportation.ohio.gov/stip/2026-2029STIPDRAFT/2026-2029STIP-Draft.pdf Page 508.

[TempoNick]

The 2026-'29 Ohio Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan is out and it has RCUTs and U-turns for the US-33/Petzinger Rd. intersection just south of I-70. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/transportation.ohio.gov/stip/2026-2029STIPDRAFT/2026-2029STIP-Draft.pdf Page 508.

I could complain about that, but I don't really care what they do. As long as US 33 is fixed south of I-270, that's really all that matters to me. If it were up to me, I would just connect it to Route 104 turn whatever remains into a state route.

Ideally, I would love to have it done right, but I realize, priorities. That segment from I-70 to Refugee isn't very high priority to me except that it backs up onto I-70. If J-turns to the job, so be it.

Now if I could wave a magic wand, I would build a new road through that wasteland just to the West which used to be all landfills and abandon much of the old section to the city.

[carbaugh2]

With all of the 23 talk, I guess we missed this update on the 33/682 interchange.

https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/about-us/news/district-10/roundabouts-project-to-begin-at-US-33-State-Route-682-interchange

[vtk]

Which US 33 / OH 682 interchange? Oh I see, the one north of Athens.

The portion of OH 682 south of Union St would make much more sense as part of OH 56, if I may add my 2¢. It would clear up confusion about which "OH 682" exit to take to get to O.U., and it would mean OH 56 ends at a major highway, and not at a state route much less significant than itself.

[TempoNick]

Which US 33 / OH 682 interchange? Oh I see, the one north of Athens.

The portion of OH 682 south of Union St would make much more sense as part of OH 56, if I may add my 2¢. It would clear up confusion about which "OH 682" exit to take to get to O.U., and it would mean OH 56 ends at a major highway, and not at a state route much less significant than itself.

Good luck getting the bullheaded people at ODOT to change it to make sense.