Ohio

[CanesFan27]

Over Labor Day Weekend, I ended up driving much of US 33 in Southeastern Ohio.  Noticing the construction to improve US 33 and seeing that much of it is a freeway or could be upgraded to a full freeway, I thought to myself, why not make US 33, Interstate 73?

So, of course I wrote about it.  And of course, this is a silly half-serious idea based on one early-September afternoon drive. But if Ohio ever gets serious about building Interstate 73, they have a good highway ready to go, so why not utilize it?

https://www.gribblenation.org/2026/09/the-case-to-move-interstate-73-in.html

[JREwing78]

It's a logical routing, starting with I-75 in Findlay (via OH-15 and US-23), then connecting to I-71 north of Delaware around the east side of Columbus along I-270 to US-33, terminating at I-77 in Silverton for at least the foreseeable future (there's no reason for a 200+ mile concurrency with I-77).

Michigan can either pick up the I-73 designation to overlay US-23 or finally complete the Toledo -> Grayling Interstate. I honestly don't see either happening, but there's nothing Ohio's doing preventing this from happening.

I-26 would be the logical designation of US-23 north of the VA/TN line, but we're at least 50 years away from that happening, maybe more. Ohio could extend a I-171 or I-371 designation south to put Portsmouth on an Interstate. But in eastern KY or far western VA there's little reason to upgrade beyond the 4-laning that's already done for US-23.

US-35 could use its own Interstate designation when they get to that point. There's nothing between I-65 and I-99 it really fits into; I-66 at least fits that I-64 to I-70 hole and its more of a E-W than N-S route.

Does OH-32 and US-50 east of Athens need an Interstate shield? I can't really think of a good reason other than extending I-68 through more West Virginia backcountry. Ohio *could* extend I-74 eastward as well, but that would primarily serve to irritate roadgeeks.

[TempoNick]

I like Interstates, but there's no need for overkill.

I like the idea of everything south of Findlay to I-77 (via US 23 and US 33) being I-477.

US 35 also has its merits, but it doesn't directly connect into Columbus. One of the advantages of US 35 is that you can hit both Huntington and Charleston. But there is also too much US 35 in West Virginia that would have to be upgraded. I don't know if you can talk them into upgrading to Interstate due to the expense. Robert Byrd isn't there to push money through Congress anymore.

There are only a couple of miles of US 33 in West Virginia that would have to be upgraded to connect to I-77. That should be easy for them to handle and they like the idea of an upgraded Columbus to Charleston highway as well.

[The Ghostbuster]

US 33 doesn't need to be an Interstate, nor does US 35. I doubt Ohio needs any additional Interstate designations.

[I-55]

US 33 doesn't need to be an Interstate, nor does US 35. I doubt Ohio needs any additional Interstate designations.

Multilane divided highways without traffic signals are adequate for most of Ohio's needs. Here's a summary of Ohio's multilane divided highways, this should include all of the notable corridors:

Non-interstate freeways (full length)

• US 33 between Bellefontaine and I-270 in Columbus
• OH 11 between East Liverpool and Ashtabula
• OH 2 between Port Clinton and I-90 in Elyria
• OH 823 bypass of Portsmouth
• OH 8 between I-76/77 in Akron and I-271 near Northfield
• OH 161 between I-270 in Columbus and Newark

Non-stop divided highways (with some portions being freeway):

• US 30 between Indiana state line and I-71 in Mansfield
• US 24 between Indiana state line and I-475 in Maumee (metro Toledo)
• US 35 between Xenia and West Virginia state line (remove the two signals in Beavercreek and the route is non-stop from I-75 to I-64)
• US 33 between Celina and I-75 in Wapakoneta

Divided highways with traffic signals:

• OH 32 between Batavia and Belpre
• US 33 between I-70 in Columbus and Athens
• US 23 and OH 15 between Portsmouth and Findlay
• US 52 between Portsmouth and West Virginia state line
• US 30 between Mansfield and Massillon
• OH 21 between Barberton and Massillon
• OH 7 between Marietta and Belpre
• OH 7 between Dilles Bottom and east Liverpool

[TempoNick]

Multilane divided highways without traffic signals are adequate for most of Ohio's needs.

This is about the traveler and the quality of road, not about putting up a pretty shield. An interstate designation conveys to The traveler who might not be familiar with the area that he will be traveling on a high quality highway without traffic lights.

You don't have to study maps. You don't have to go on discussion boards to find out if you're going to have a traffic free trip or not. You just know by seeing the interstate shield that it's going to be a good road to take.

Let's talk about control cities. You're driving up Interstate 77 and getting ready to turn off on US 33. What do you see on the sign as your destination? Ravenswood. (I know they have some auxiliary signs mentioning Columbus.) What information does that convey to a traveler from out of the area? I think that changes to Gallipolis, then Athens, then Nelsonville, then Logan and then Lancaster. If Columbus is mentioned at all, it is an afterthought.

Interstate designation forces Columbus as the destination city.

That's what the interstate designation is about. It forces ODOT to build a good road without stupid features like RIRO's. It lists the proper control cities. It gives the occasional visitor a certain comfort level. And all that information is conveyed within a split second in your brain just by putting up a Red White and Blue shield.

Anything short of Interstate designation treats a highway like a local surface street. That is unacceptable for Interstate travel.

[vdeane]

An interstate designation conveys to The traveler who might not be familiar with the area that he will be traveling on a high quality highway without traffic lights.

It does?

[PColumbus73]

Agreed that not every divided highway in Ohio (or elsewhere) must be an Interstate to be considered high quality. To me, high-quality means well maintained. I-20 between Texas and South Carolina is an interstate, yes, but the quality of I-20 varies greatly between Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, and everything in between.

US 35 in WV and OH is not an interstate, but it is a well-maintained expressway.

Just by observations of Ohio's interstate network, since there are zero odd-digit 3di's in Ohio, I would assume they don't have an interest in interstate spurs that don't connect to other interstates at both ends (I-280, I-471, I-675...)

[TempoNick]

It does?

Give me a break. If you're from Ohio driving in Iowa, what do you know about US 34? It could be anything from a good quality highway to a twisty, turny two lane road like US 52 in the Wytheville, VA area. (I once turned off to avoid a traffic jam on I-77. Boy, was that a mistake.)

If you see the interstate shield, you know it's a good road generally speaking. No lights and it has some minimum design standards.

Stop acting like engineers and professional truck drivers. Have some empathy for the driver who doesn't drive these roads all the time and doesn't want to get stuck on a two-lane road or with traffic lights ad nauseam if he doesn't have to.

[TempoNick]

And again, I reiterate. The control cities on US 33 are an abomination.

Oh sure, grandma gets to know she's taking the Model T in the right direction to Logan, but shouldn't you already know that if you're local? Those signs will never say Columbus without an Interstate designation forcing ODOT to do it.

Much like ODOT had to be forced to make plans for that US 23 connector. Now watch them give it a stupid number, so you can have another road that changes numbers three times again, like 161/37/16. 😂

Like I said, no respect for the casual or occasional driver.

[PColumbus73]

And again, I reiterate. The control cities on US 33 are an abomination.

Oh sure, grandma gets to know she's taking the Model T in the right direction to Logan, but shouldn't you already know that if you're local? Those signs will never say Columbus without an Interstate designation forcing ODOT to do it.

With some exceptions, ODOT appears to prefer using the nearest county seat as control cities for routes like US 23, 33, 35, etc. And for US 33, Columbus does get signed for US 33 West in Athens, which makes sense as an important junction between US 33 and US 50. With that in mind, I feel like they're reasonable.

[Plutonic Panda]

Love the interstate system, but I also love freeways in general that are fully controlled and whether or not it has an interstate designation, I kind of rather like unique situations sort of how Clark County built their own freeway network. It owned and operated it before the Nevada Department of transportation took over.

I like Phoenix and their loop numbering system. They don't need 3DIs there. Variety is interesting.

[vdeane]

It does?

Give me a break. If you're from Ohio driving in Iowa, what do you know about US 34? It could be anything from a good quality highway to a twisty, turny two lane road like US 52 in the Wytheville, VA area. (I once turned off to avoid a traffic jam on I-77. Boy, was that a mistake.)

If you see the interstate shield, you know it's a good road generally speaking. No lights and it has some minimum design standards.

Stop acting like engineers and professional truck drivers. Have some empathy for the driver who doesn't drive these roads all the time and doesn't want to get stuck on a two-lane road or with traffic lights ad nauseam if he doesn't have to.

Did you not click the links in my post?  I notice that you stripped them out of the quote, so I assume that you know that they were there!  In fact, if I could have found reassurance shields for I-78 in Jersey City, I would have linked to that.

I will give you, however, that that interstate system does a better job of this than, say, Québec's autoroutes.

[TempoNick]

And again, I reiterate. The control cities on US 33 are an abomination.

Oh sure, grandma gets to know she's taking the Model T in the right direction to Logan, but shouldn't you already know that if you're local? Those signs will never say Columbus without an Interstate designation forcing ODOT to do it.

With some exceptions, ODOT appears to prefer using the nearest county seat as control cities for routes like US 23, 33, 35, etc. And for US 33, Columbus does get signed for US 33 West in Athens, which makes sense as an important junction between US 33 and US 50. With that in mind, I feel like they're reasonable.

US 23 at Findlay and US 33 at Ravenswood should scream COLUMBUS at you. The other destinations are unimportant. (Toledo and Charleston in the other direction.)

US 35 should scream Dayton in Chillicothe and Charleston/Huntington in the other direction. Who cares about anything else in between? Maybe Chillicothe is significant enough to be a control city, but nothing else.

I haven't given much thought to any other highways, but the ones I mentioned are de facto even-numbered 3di's, connecting between interstates. They should have control cities that make sense for what those highways are. They are not local access roads.

Maybe US 30 should be signed for Fort Wayne at the very least.

[PColumbus73]

I-75 @ OH 15, Findlay

I-77 @ US 33, Ravenswood

US 23 & 35 split, Chillicothe

If Illinois can get a pass for using primary control cities for their Interstate junctions, and secondary control cities for local interchanges, Ohio certainly can get a pass for doing the same for their non-interstate freeways and expressways.

[I-55]

I-75 @ OH 15, Findlay

I-77 @ US 33, Ravenswood

US 23 & 35 split, Chillicothe

If Illinois can get a pass for using primary control cities for their Interstate junctions, and secondary control cities for local interchanges, Ohio certainly can get a pass for doing the same for their non-interstate freeways and expressways.

Or Sharon, Mercer, Clarion, DuBois, Clearfield, Bellefonte, Bloomsburg, Hazleton, and Stroudsburg...

[TempoNick]

I-75 @ OH 15, Findlay

I-77 @ US 33, Ravenswood

US 23 & 35 split, Chillicothe

Yes, that last one is what I'm talking about. That's the kind of signage these almost interstate-style US routes should have. Those signs on the side of the road in the first two examples are kind of silly.

This is an even better stupid signage attempt:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bze61LunGPPSzHSe7

And the one showing Columbus as a cardinal direction has always been amusing:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tdJvuUEEQYHzUQ6MA

[carbaugh2]

US 33 doesn't need to be an Interstate, nor does US 35. I doubt Ohio needs any additional Interstate designations.

Multilane divided highways without traffic signals are adequate for most of Ohio's needs. Here's a summary of Ohio's multilane divided highways, this should include all of the notable corridors:

Divided highways with traffic signals:

• US 33 between I-70 in Columbus and Athens
• US 23 and OH 15 between Portsmouth and Findlay

I'm focusing on these two segments as they are in the process of having the traffic signals and at grade intersections upgraded to limited access with interchanges. Regardless of the outcome of the I-73 corridor study, ODOT District 1 has been working on the US 23/SR 15 corridor through spot safety improvement projects (see this project and another that gets halfway there). I will caveat on the US 33 corridor by saying that I think it will be upgraded in the nearer future to full freeway from I-270 to Nelsonville. District 10 already has a design from the Hocking County line to the current freeway start at SR 180 while District 5 is in the middle of the project to convert the Pickerington Rd intersection to an interchange. Unfortunately, District 5 is not as far along on getting a preliminary design for the traffic light at Sugar Grove. Further, I don't see the upgrade of 33- mostly frontage roads and access closures- from Nelsonville to Athens happening in the next decade or so. While District 10 can use the Hocking Hills tourism (~7 million visitors annually) to help with the Hocking County project, the traffic numbers aren't there for the Nelsonville-Athens segment. That will have to wait for more truck traffic.

[TempoNick]

US 33 doesn't need to be an Interstate, nor does US 35. I doubt Ohio needs any additional Interstate designations.

Multilane divided highways without traffic signals are adequate for most of Ohio's needs. Here's a summary of Ohio's multilane divided highways, this should include all of the notable corridors:

Divided highways with traffic signals:

• US 33 between I-70 in Columbus and Athens
• US 23 and OH 15 between Portsmouth and Findlay

I'm focusing on these two segments as they are in the process of having the traffic signals and at grade intersections upgraded to limited access with interchanges. Regardless of the outcome of the I-73 corridor study, ODOT District 1 has been working on the US 23/SR 15 corridor through spot safety improvement projects (see this project and another that gets halfway there). I will caveat on the US 33 corridor by saying that I think it will be upgraded in the nearer future to full freeway from I-270 to Nelsonville. District 10 already has a design from the Hocking County line to the current freeway start at SR 180 while District 5 is in the middle of the project to convert the Pickerington Rd intersection to an interchange. Unfortunately, District 5 is not as far along on getting a preliminary design for the traffic light at Sugar Grove. Further, I don't see the upgrade of 33- mostly frontage roads and access closures- from Nelsonville to Athens happening in the next decade or so. While District 10 can use the Hocking Hills tourism (~7 million visitors annually) to help with the Hocking County project, the traffic numbers aren't there for the Nelsonville-Athens segment. That will have to wait for more truck traffic.

I counted about 11 at-grade crossings that need to be upgraded between Findlay and Marion. Most of them look like you could easily close them and redirect traffic without building any frontage roads. In other words, you probably need all 11 as things exist right now, but build a couple of interchanges and you could easily close them off and redirect traffic to those new access points. A project that once seemed pretty daunting now seems pretty doable with the connector.