COLUMBUS, Ohio — An efficient transportation network is critical to a thriving economy.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has released a final report 18 months in the making. The study focused on “transportation investments to support economic growth and development in the state,” according to an ODOT press release.
“The goal is to help us understand how Ohio’s highways influence and support statewide economic growth and prioritize transportation projects, as funding is available,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in the release. “Ohio’s economy is growing and to keep this momentum going, we must get people to work and deliver goods on time.”
According to ODOT, Ohio is ranked sixth nationally for freight volume and the Buckeye state features highways, rail corridors, airports, transit systems and marine ports.
They also highlight recent, major economic investments made in the state from the private sector via Intel, Google, Honda and other companies. They say Ohio had the seventh highest GDP in the United States in 2023, coming in at $872.7 billion.
“Overall, most of Ohio’s major highway corridors are handling the needs of today and are expected to do so in the future, even if current population and economic growth trends accelerate,” ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn said in the release. “However, we have identified congestion risks that could hinder future economic development. This tool will assist ODOT and local leaders in ensuring transportation is never a roadblock to economic opportunity.”
Those congestion risks, according to the release, number at 72. ODOT was aware of 51 of these and has already invested $13 billion to address them. The other 21 projects would require $6.1 billion.
ODOT said they looked at six focus corridors. The report made various recommendations for improvements to these regions.
For the Toledo–Columbus corridor, which includes I-75, US 68, State Route 31 and US 23, the study identified a need for improvement due to an expected growth in population.
“The priority recommendation is to improve US 23 between Waldo and I-270,” the release reads. “However, the study does not recommend construction of an alternative freeway due to the cost as well as minimal travel time reductions from such an alternative freeway.”
For the Sandusky–Columbus corridor, which includes SR 4, US 250, I-71 and US 23, the study notes that population growth along it has been mixed with rural areas declining and some suburbs growing.
“The study recommended evaluating potential improvements to SR 4 and US 250 to address constraints through city and town centers such as Bucyrus and Norwalk,” the release reads. “Improvements could include widening narrow shoulders and adding turn lanes in rural areas.”
Moving on to the Columbus–Kentucky/West Virginia corridor, which includes US 23 and US 52, ODOT notes population growth in Grove City and southeastern parts of I-270. They also note expected population declines in some regions like Ross County but highlight “development and manufacturing opportunities” in some areas.
“The priority recommendation is to initiate a feasibility analysis and initial project development activities that will position ODOT to increase capacity and manage access on US 23 from I-270 to south of Circleville,” the release reads.
For the Columbus–West Virginia corridor, which includes US 33 and connects central Ohio to the southeast and eventually to West Virginia, ODOT expects continued economic growth in the Columbus area. The release states that US 33 is almost at capacity “from SR 317 through Groveport and Canal Winchester to the US 33 Business Route branch in Fairfield County.”
“Access varies between partial and full control, which can lead to crashes and congestion and degrade the safety and reliability of the travel route. The corridor has 29 safety improvement locations,” the release reads. “It also recommended seeking construction funding for existing ODOT projects on US 33 in Franklin and Fairfield counties.”
The Cincinnati-Dayton corridor includes I-75 and features “large, fast-growing suburbs as well as large manufacturing employers,” ODOT said.
While they identified congestion in various places along this corridor, they note that the most at-risk areas moving forward would be close to the I-275 interchange and SR 73 heading north to Dayton.
“The study recommended continuing to develop projects associated with the I-75/I-275 interchange and work with regional planning organizations to improve Cincinnati to Dayton corridor connections,” the release reads.
Finally, for the Canton/Youngstown-West-Virginia/Pennsylvania corridor, which includes US 30 and SR 11, while there are no major points of congestion on this corridor, there are some safety concerns on both US 30 and SR 11.
“The study recommended addressing local safety concerns and updating interchanges on US 30 in Stark and Columbiana counties,” the release reads.
The release highlighted the scope of this report, saying the department worked with the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, the Ohio Department of Development, JobsOhio, experts, business leaders and more than 500 elected officials.
