US 23 Portsmouth, OH bypass

[mgk920]

While checking out the discussion on the potential OH 32 upgrades in the eastern part of the Cincinnati metro area, I noticed in my 2017 RMcN that there it shows a US 23 bypass freeway under construction around the Portsmouth, OH area, running from Lucasville, OH around to the Wheelersburg, OH area.  A check of Google Maps aerial images shows a cleared ROW for this in the Minford, OH area.

This one caught me off guard.  Is there any more info and/or discussion on it?

Mike

[dfilpus]

That is Ohio State Route 823, The Southern Ohio Veterans Memorial Highway.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/InnovativeDelivery/Pages/PortsmouthDBFOM.aspx

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9696.0

[hbelkins]

Lots of construction going on there. I drove up there last summer to see (since it's not very far from where I live) and hope to have a small road meet centered on this project later this year.

[mgk920]

Very interesting.

A couple of quick thoughts -

- I can't even imagine the tunneling that this highway would be using if it were not being built in North America.

- Am I not the only one who is a bit disappointed in that the north end is that trumpet interchange and not something a bit more direct and high-speed?

Mike

[sparker]

Very interesting.

A couple of quick thoughts -

- I can't even imagine the tunneling that this highway would be using if it were not being built in North America.

- Am I not the only one who is a bit disappointed in that the north end is that trumpet interchange and not something a bit more direct and high-speed?

Mike

There's the distinct possibility that the original plans for this bypass date back to the time that I-73 and 74 were planned to traverse this portion of Ohio; most plans I've heard of took I-74 west from the Lucasville area (adjacent to the north end of the current construction) to OH 32 near Peebles; the north 73/74 split occurred near this point as well.  While the Interstate concept here is all but dead & buried, I'd think that ODOT would at least have a northerly freeway extension paralleling US 23 in mind that doesn't utilize the current alignment -- even if only in long-range terms.  If that is indeed the case, then the trumpet termination of the bypass is a "stopgap" configuration.  From what I've read, this is the single most expensive road project in Ohio over the last several years; it'll likely be way down the line before any connecting facilities are budgeted.     

[Buck87]

- Am I not the only one who is a bit disappointed in that the north end is that trumpet interchange and not something a bit more direct and high-speed?

I think it's fine, serves as a nice transition from a 70 mph freeway to a 60 mph divided highway with at grade intersections.

[triplemultiplex]

While the Interstate concept here is all but dead & buried, I'd think that ODOT would at least have a northerly freeway extension paralleling US 23 in mind that doesn't utilize the current alignment -- even if only in long-range terms.  If that is indeed the case, then the trumpet termination of the bypass is a "stopgap" configuration.     

US 23 is reasonably upgradeable on location between Lucasville and Piketon.