Special to 1808Delaware
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) would like to thank you for your time and input during the first phase of study for Route 23 Connect. This message serves to 1) inform you of the next phase of study and 2) invite you to participate in our first round of community partner meetings for this phase.
Project Background
In Spring 2021, ODOT began the Route 23 Connect study to determine the feasibility of a free-flow connection between Toledo and Columbus, focusing on the portion of U.S. 23 between Waldo and I-270. The project team spent the past year evaluating six concepts before announcing that none of the concepts presented could be reasonably implemented and therefore, would not be advanced. However, the study is not complete.
The cost, complexity, and environmental impact of the concepts presented in the first phase of the study were so high they would prevent the project from moving forward in a timely manner, if ever. Rather than continuing to spend time and resources on concepts that would almost certainly never move forward, the study is shifting its focus to further identify opportunities toward making smaller, but impactful improvements sooner.
Upcoming Meetings
To kick-off this new phase of Route 23 Connect, ODOT has planned a series of community partner meetings in late August to provide information regarding upcoming improvement projects already in the pipeline along the corridor and to gather your feedback related to congestion, mobility, safety, and upcoming development in your communities.
These meetings will be open-house style and involve an interactive, map-based activity. Each meeting will focus on a specific segment of the study area. You are welcome to attend all or one of these meetings based on the segment your community is located in and/or you are most interested in. The online meeting will replicate this mapping activity for the entirety of the corridor.
Information for the meetings and each segment they cover is as follows:
Meeting 1: U.S. 23 north of City of Delaware (U.S. 23 between SR 229 and Hills-Miller Road)
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Troy Township Hall | 4293 U.S. 23, Delaware, OH 43015
Meeting 2: U.S. 23 through City of Delaware (U.S. 23 between Hills-Miller Road and Glenn Parkway)
Wednesday, August 24, 2022 from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Co-Hatch Delaware | Hall of Mirrors | 19 E. William Street, Delaware, OH 43015
Meeting 3: U.S. 23 South of City of Delaware (U.S. 23 between Glenn Parkway and SR 750)
Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Orange Township Hall | Moffett Room | 1688 East Orange Road, Lewis Center, OH 43035
Meeting 4: Southernmost Portion of Study Area (U.S. 23 between SR 750 and I-270)
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Highbanks MetroPark Nature Center | Multi-Purpose Room
9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, OH 43035
Meeting 5: Virtual, Entire Corridor
Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 12:00pm
Meeting Link: http://publicinput.com/23connect
For in-person events, all persons in attendance will be required to follow all federal, state, local, or venue policies in effect on the meeting date. This includes face covering policies and other health-related protocols.
Comments are also encouraged after the meeting, but we ask that all comments be submitted by September 30, 2022 to be considered during this phase of development. The project website https://publicinput.com/23connect is the best place to provide comments outside of the formal public outreach meetings. Comments may also be provided via email, phone or mail to:
Kelsey Vandia
Project Manager
Ohio Department of Transportation – District 6
400 East William Street
Delaware, OH 43015
Kelsey.Vandia@dot.state.oh.us
614-357-5430
Individuals who require interpretation services or a reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting should contact ODOT no later than August 15, 2022. Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.
