Ohio House Passes I-73/I-74 Resolution - 75-15 Vote in Favor

[tolbs17]

Very good news! Now only if West Virginia and Virginia can build their highways with them...

https://www.wsaz.com/2022/01/27/ohio-house-passes-resolution-urging-i-73-i-74-extension/

[Scott5114]

Please read articles before you post them. That was the Ohio House of Representatives passing a bill calling for ODOT to do that. It hasn't passed the Senate nor been signed by the governor. And in most legislatures (don't know about Ohio), a "resolution" is just an unfunded mandate that expresses the opinion of the Legislature and doesn't have any binding power. Even if it passed ODOT could probably just say "No, we don't think we will" absent a direct order from the Governor.

[plain]

Please read articles before you post them. That was the Ohio House of Representatives passing a bill calling for ODOT to do that. It hasn't passed the Senate nor been signed by the governor. And in most legislatures (don't know about Ohio), a "resolution" is just an unfunded mandate that expresses the opinion of the Legislature and doesn't have any binding power. Even if it passed ODOT could probably just say "No, we don't think we will" absent a direct order from the Governor.

You just beat me to it.

Nothing is set in stone for this. I seriously don't see this going far, especially in I-74's case. Whatever routing is being considered for that would be a very difficult one. Lots of $$$ would have to be thrown at this.

[SkyPesos]

It's not April 1st.

[abqtraveler]

Please read articles before you post them. That was the Ohio House of Representatives passing a bill calling for ODOT to do that. It hasn't passed the Senate nor been signed by the governor. And in most legislatures (don't know about Ohio), a "resolution" is just an unfunded mandate that expresses the opinion of the Legislature and doesn't have any binding power. Even if it passed ODOT could probably just say "No, we don't think we will" absent a direct order from the Governor.

You just beat me to it.

Nothing is set in stone for this. I seriously don't see this going far, especially in I-74's case. Whatever routing is being considered for that would be a very difficult one. Lots of $$$ would have to be thrown at this.

Like was mentioned above, if the resolution clears the Ohio Senate, it would just state that the Ohio Legislature wants to governor and ODOT to pursue completing I-73 and I-74 through the state. It doesn't direct the state's executive branch to do so, nor does it allocate any funding to build either route.

Both the I-73 and I-74 corridors are currently served by 4-lane divided highways. In the case of US-23 (potential route for I-73), ODOT has been incrementally upgrading sections of the 4-lane highway to freeway by converting certain intersections to interchanges and building bypasses in a few areas where the road goes through more developed areas that can't be upgraded without disrupting the local community. I think you'll see US-23 converted to full freeway, particularly north of Columbus, in the foreseeable future. It might take a bit longer to get US-23 south of Columbus upgraded to full freeway, but ODOT is working in that direction.

[roadman65]

Yeah, even so, no funding has yet been allocated and no push from local groups and leaders.  The biggest thing that have killed projects is not at a state or federal level, but at a local level. 

It matters what those along the route want, plus even if they approve it could take decades for them to move on it.  Plus the article says ODOT and not State House, you might want to amend the title so it's more accurate. Speaking from experience you might want to.

[MATraveler128]

Are you sure? Right now it's just a bill. That doesn't mean it's happening. ODOT has said they don't want to add more Interstates.

[SkyPesos]

Ohio and WV already spent a lot of recourses upgrading US 35 (and US 33 to a lesser extent) to 4 lanes, which does what I-73 was supposed to do, but even better: Midwest to Carolinas corridor, via I-77 past US 35's eastern terminus.

[roadman65]

Ohio and WV already spent a lot of recourses upgrading US 35 (and US 33 to a lesser extent) to 4 lanes, which does what I-73 was supposed to do, but even better: Midwest to Carolinas corridor, via I-77 past US 35's eastern terminus.

That is to show NC that every long distance corridor doesn't need the red white and blue shield.  😁

[Max Rockatansky]

No Google Street View of the resolution?

[jmacswimmer]

No Google Street View of the resolution?

Here you go!

[SkyPesos]

No Google Street View of the resolution?

I found one

[Max Rockatansky]

^^^

I think you missed the joke. 

No Google Street View of the resolution?

Here you go!

That scary snek sign isn't on a cantilevered gantry. 

[SkyPesos]

No Google Street View of the resolution?

Here you go!

This is the best thing I've seen on GSV so far 

[hbelkins]

There are two good alternatives to an I-74 extension. OH 32 is one; the AA Highway in Kentucky is the other.

And is there really a need to upgrade US 23 to a full freeway? I understand that the section immediately north of I-270 can be problematic, but the portion between Lucasville and Columbus is a breeze. Only a couple of minor slowdowns, and the worst part of the route was skirted by the Portsmouth bypass.

And all of this doesn't even touch on the fact that any improvements West Virginia makes to US 52 won't be to full interstate standards.

[Henry]

It may have seemed like a good idea 30 years ago, but now that ship has sailed. MI has already said that it will not build I-73 at all, and we may never see any further corridor upgrades in WV either, so this would be more of an I-87 situation because of the missing middle link.

[Bitmapped]

In Ohio, it's not really even the governor or ODOT director that provide funding for projects. It's the Transportation Review Advisory Council that allocates ODOT funding for large projects.

[vdeane]

Regarding West Virginia, if Ohio actually did move to build I-73 and I-74, I would think it would be logical to just sign them over I-64 and I-77 in West Virginia.  They could always be moved in the extremely unlikely event West Virginia not only builds the King Coal Highway in full, but also upgrades it to interstate standards.

[sprjus4]

Ohio and WV already spent a lot of recourses upgrading US 35 (and US 33 to a lesser extent) to 4 lanes, which does what I-73 was supposed to do, but even better: Midwest to Carolinas corridor, via I-77 past US 35's eastern terminus.

That is to show NC that every long distance corridor doesn't need the red white and blue shield.  😁

Those routes are not built to freeway standards - merely divided highways.

The equivalent could be something along the lines of say, US-17, for North Carolina. Not an interstate highway.

[SP Cook]

73 and 74 really serve no purpose and are very unlikely to ever be needed.  In Ohio, the OH 32, US 35, and US 23 (and the AA in Kentucky) do the job.  Gradual improvements, particularly stop light removals; and some connection between 32 @ Eastgate and the real 74, which will never happen due to the massive cost and NIMBYs, would be great.

In WV, a 4-lane US 52 would only shave a few miles off the existing 64 and 77 routing, traveling through a part of the country that is beyond economic development and fast (not fast enough) becoming unpopulated.  Other than "shunpiking"  there would really be no reason to use it as a through route.

These "resolutions"  really don't mean anything. Currently the Ohio House is up to #174, which praises the Cincinnati Bearcats for their fine year.  Most are that kind of fluff, but about a third request some government do this or that, without funding it.

[SkyPesos]

Regarding West Virginia, if Ohio actually did move to build I-73 and I-74, I would think it would be logical to just sign them over I-64 and I-77 in West Virginia.  They could always be moved in the extremely unlikely event West Virginia not only builds the King Coal Highway in full, but also upgrades it to interstate standards.

That would be a super out of the way routing for I-73 between Columbus and Charleston, since the quickest/shortest routings are either US 23/US 35/I-64 or US 33/I-77 (and it's heavily debated on which of the two routings is better).

And is there really a need to upgrade US 23 to a full freeway? I understand that the section immediately north of I-270 can be problematic, but the portion between Lucasville and Columbus is a breeze. Only a couple of minor slowdowns, and the worst part of the route was skirted by the Portsmouth bypass.

Columbus-Chillicothe could be worth an upgrade to remove some signals and at-grade intersections, to feed Columbus traffic to US 35. From what I've heard, this segment is one reason why some people prefer US 33 over the US 23/35 routing.

Also side note, is it worth merging this thread into the general I-73 Ohio thread? The highway number is still considered dead in the state.

[SectorZ]

By tolbs17 logic, my state planned to ban microwave ovens a decade ago because some weirdo made his state rep file a bill to ban them.

[The Ghostbuster]

Sorry tolbs17, but I think you jumped the gun, by about a century or two!

[Ryctor2018]

The most I can see happening with this for the foreseeable future is "Future I-73 corridor" signage on US-23, US-52, OH-15 and maybe US-35. Like everyone else stated, there are many more projects that need ODOT's attention than this. However, improvements to the affected corridors could be something the DOT and state government could agree on.

[tolbs17]

Please read articles before you post them. That was the Ohio House of Representatives passing a bill calling for ODOT to do that. It hasn't passed the Senate nor been signed by the governor. And in most legislatures (don't know about Ohio), a "resolution" is just an unfunded mandate that expresses the opinion of the Legislature and doesn't have any binding power. Even if it passed ODOT could probably just say "No, we don't think we will" absent a direct order from the Governor.

When I saw this, I was surprised because I did not realize they are still trying to move forward with this proposal!