By 1808Delaware
Among official routes in the Buckeye State, it’s one of the oldest, with a route predating establishment of the state highway system. It’s also one of most iconic, as its name traditional and current names reference the fact that it connects the state’s three largest metropolitan areas which, unlike other locations in the US, have names which begin with the same letter.
Here, then, are a few facts which you may not know about Ohio Route 3, which passes through Delaware County:
Length: 248.5 miles, the second longest route of any state highway in Ohio
Original name: Three C Highway
Southern terminus — In downtown Cincinnati
Northern terminus — Public Square, Cleveland
Earliest reference as Three C Highway: In two 1918 “auto trail” maps from Rand McNally
Officially established: 1923
Original route: Largely the same between Loudonville and Cincnnati, with a few miles of deviation. The route has had several adjustments over the years, the last of which was in 1967. Route 3 was put together from four pre existing inter-county throughfares, which had been joined together as “Main Market Route 10.”
Last portion to be paved: Between Loudonville and Mount Vernon
Current route: Passes through 14 Ohio counties and 8 Ohio county seat towns. Crosses interstate highways seven times.
Route through Delaware County: Between Westerville and North Condit, 12 miles of the original route of the Three C Highway are marked as Old 3-C Highway. The bypass of Galena and Sunbury was built in the 1950s. Beyond the town line of Sunbury, the Old 3-C Highway designation again appears on the county map. After the historic route crosses the present-day version of State Route 3, it meanders wildly for almost four miles before meeting the numbered route again.
Also known as: The Thirty-seventh Division Memorial Highway
Sources: Wikipedia, History of Ohio Highways, ODOT, Mansfield News Journal, Ohio Lincoln Highway League; Photo: DALL-E 3
