A second outerbelt? Intel growth forcing Ohio transportation execs to think big
NEWARK − The development coming to Licking County has pushed transportation planners into overdrive. The question, though, is which roads should be widened and improved.
Officials can’t wait to see where traffic goes to determine where money should be spent. But they don’t want to guess wrong and not improve roads that need it.
The $20 billion Intel Corporation computer chip manufacturing facility just south of Johnstown has forced planners, consultants, city, township, county and state officials to all look into their crystal ball and predict future transportation needs. It's a challenging and expensive game, and everybody is playing.
The latest long-term discussion has been over the potential need for a second outer belt around Columbus, in addition to Ohio 270. Jim Roberts, chairman of the Grow Licking County infrastructure committee, said a consultant mentioned it at a recent meeting.
“It’s just kind of a vague concept now," Roberts said. "It’s an idea that’s out there.”
Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, confirmed an outer outer belt has been discussed lately, but it's not a new concept.
“It’s been discussed going all the way back to the 1990s," Marchbanks said. "The idea has come up over and over again. It’s in the exploratory stage. It’s been discussed. There's no official study yet. No decisions have been made.”
Marchbanks said the Columbus metro area kind of extends from Mansfield to Chillicothe and "now it’s actually filling out to those boundaries."
The ODOT boss said the goal is to develop a transportation system that's safe and reliable, helps people get to and from work and works for people in emergencies. He said it's difficult to plan far in advance, but that's ODOT's job.
"It’s our responsibility to be scouts and look at future needs," Marchbanks said. "It has to be fact-based. We know traffic is going to grow. ”˜If you build it, they will come’ is not a responsible use of assets.”
Matt Hill, director of the Licking County Area Transportation Study, said the latest talk of the need for another Columbus outer belt is not new.
“This is like the third time I’ve heard it discussed (in the last 20 years),” Hill said. “Somebody out there wants a better connection to I-71 north."
Licking County transportation planning
Bill Lozier, the Licking County Transportation Improvement District projects director, said the TID is reviewing traffic projections from MS Consultants based on land use plans from Monroe, Jersey and St. Albans townships around the Intel development.
“What we want to prepare for is opening day for Intel in 2025," Lozier said. “The raw numbers for the new zoning when it’s fully built out is staggering. It’s truly like dropping a new city out in the cornfields.
“The old rule of thumb was once you get over the threshold of 2,000 cars a day, it kind of becomes a higher-class road you need to treat differently," Lozier said. "That’s an old-school rule of thumb. But now we’re talking on (Intel's) opening day, a lot of these roads are going to be hitting 4,000 or 5,000.”
Lozier said the projections are for 2050, so it's not all happening at once. He said the TID seeks to coordinate with ODOT and combine funding sources to address the massive needs. Lozier said the deadline for Ohio TID grant applications is in March. It received $500,000 last year for design around Intel.
“We don’t have a choice. We’re going to have to pick a couple routes that lead into Intel on the local road network and focus on those," Lozier said. "The rest of them are going to have to evolve over time.”
Licking County Engineer Jared Knerr said Intel has said 90% of the construction traffic will use Ohio 161 to Beech Road to Jug Street and then onto Haul Road, the new Harrison Road-Clover Valley connector.
Soon after the Intel announcement a year ago, ODOT announced plans to widen Ohio 161 in Franklin County, but in September then State Sen. Jay Hottinger said the State Controlling Board approved the distribution of $13 million to expand Ohio 161 from Columbus to Newark.
New Albany, which has annexed much of Jersey Township plans to make improvements to Green Chapel Road and Mink Street.
In April, then State Rep. Mark Fraizer presented roadway plan improvements showing Green Chapel Road, which separates Jersey and Monroe townships, becoming a five-lane highway from Mink Street to Clover Valley Road by December of this year. Mink Street was also slated to become five lanes from Green Chapel Road to Ohio 161 by April 2024.
Knerr said the city of New Albany is responsible for Mink Street from Worthington Road, south of Ohio 161, to Green Chapel, according to road maintenance agreements. New Albany is similarly responsible for Green Chapel, from Mink to Clover Valley Road. Knerr said he’s seen plans for Green Chapel to become five lanes, but also seen plans for it to become three lanes. He could not confirm the construction timelines.
The transportation needs are not confined to the immediate area of Jersey, Monroe and St. Albans townships.
Harrison Township Trustee Mark Van Buren said plans need to be made for the Ohio 158-Interstate 70 interchange and north on Outville Road in the township. He said two half-million square foot warehouses will be built on a 280-acre farm in the area.
“We have a blank canvass," Van Buren said. "I can see all this traffic coming to one spot and 10 years from now, how do we fix it?"
Harrison Township is located immediately east of Pataskala and south of St. Albans Township. The Ohio 158 interchange in Kirkersville is close to the townships of Harrison, Etna and Union, so Van Buren said the TID could get involved in a collaborative effort.
Lozier said the TID continues working with Newark and Heath on the Thornwood corridor, which will take traffic from Thornwood Crossing to Ridgely Tract Road and onto Ohio 79.
Jared Lane, the city of Heath director of building and zoning, said the southern part of Thornwood Drive, around Beaver Run Road, has become a focus.
“We’ve met with three foreign companies wanting to come to that area," Lane said. "There’s a ton of interest in that area.”
Lozier said there may be a need to widen Refugee Road between Ohio 310 and Etna Parkway.
“Congestion is building on 310,” Lozier said. "During the morning peaks, 310 northbound at U.S. 40 is backing up. When traffic finds out it can bypass Pataskala downtown, the concern is it going to go west over to Mink and go north somehow.”
kmallett@newarkadvocate.com
Twitter: @kmallett1958