By the numbers
$19.1 million: Cost of the Interstate 70 widening project from Enon to U.S. 68, which is slated to begin in 2014.
$42.5 million: Estimated cost to finish the I-70 widening project from U.S. 68 to Ohio 72.
55,000 to 60,000: Motorists traveling I-70 from Enon Road to U.S. 68 daily.
Ohio construction plans
Here is a complete list of projects across the state included in the governor’s Jobs and Transportation Plan:
NORTHEAST OHIO
1. Cuyahoga County Innerbelt Bridge – Demolition of existing Innerbelt Bridge and construction of eastbound bridge. Total project cost is $340,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until 2016. Time saved is two years.
2. Cuyahoga County Cleveland Innerbelt – As part of the reconstruction of the Cleveland Innerbelt, remove SR14 (Broadway) over I-77. Total project cost is $42,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2016 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is nine + years.
3. Cuyahoga County I-77 – Reconstruct, widen and add a lane along I-77. Total project cost is $47,500,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2016 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is nine + years.
4. Cuyahoga counties I-271. Reconstruct, widen and add a third lane on I-271 from I-480 East to I-480 West. Total project cost is $131,000,000. Construction start date with Turnpike funds is 2016 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 11+ years.
5. Cuyahoga Opportunity Corridor – Construct a new road that provides access from University Circle to I-490 and I-77 in two phases. Total project cost is $334,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 13+ years.
6. Cuyahoga County U.S. Route 42 - Widen and reconstruct U.S. Route 42 (Pearl Rd.) from Boston Rd. to Drake Road. Total project cost is $9,300,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until 2015. Time saved is one year.
7. Lorain County U.S. Route 20/SR 113 – Widen Center Ridge Rd. from three to five lanes in the City of North Ridgeville. Total project cost is $48,718,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2017 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 10 years.
8. Medina County U.S. Route 42 – Widen U.S. Route 42 to five lanes. Total project cost is $47,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2016, which keeps the project on schedule.
9. Lorain County State Route 57 – Upgrade the existing I-90/SR 57 interchange and improve access to the 49th Street bridge in the city of Elyria. Total project cost is $28,800,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 13+ years.
10. Mahoning/Trumbull counties I-80 – Widen I-80 to six lanes from I-680 to SR 193. Total project cost - $116,700,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan ¬is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
11. Stark County-Stark Mahoning Transit –Utility relocation to accommodate upgrades to the transit facility and route. Total project cost is $6,300,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014, which keeps the project on schedule.
12. Stark County-Stark Mahoning Transit – To improve transit facilities and route access. Total project cost is $18,600,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until 2024. Time saved is 9 years.
13. Summit County Main/Broadway Interchange - Reconstruct I-76 and 77 to improve safety and reduce congestion on the Main/Broadway interchange. Total project cost - $96,400,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2016 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 11+ years.
14. Summit County I-271 – Reconstruct, widen and add a third lane on I271. Total project cost - $62,500,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
NORTHWEST OHIO
1. Erie County U.S. Route 250 – Widen and improve U.S. Route 250 from U.S. 6 to Bogart Rd. Total project cost is $31,700,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
2. Hancock County I-75 – Reconstruct U.S. 224 bridge and interchange with I-75. Total project cost is $12,500,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 13+ years.
3. Lucas County McCord Grade Separation – Rail grade separation at McCord Road (CR 73) to improve safety. Total Project Cost is $29,300,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until 2015. Time saved is one year.
4. Lucas County Interstate 75 – Reconstruct, widen and add a third lane along I-75 from Phillips Rd. to I-280. Total project cost is $51,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12 + years.
5. Lucas County Interstate 75 – Reconstruct interchange at I-75 and I-475 to improve safety and reduce congestion. Total project cost is $175,900,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
6. Lucas County Interstate 475/U.S. Route 20 – Reconstruct interchange at I-475 and U.S. Route 20 to improve safety. Total project cost is $59,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
7. Wood County I-75—Four phases of reconstruction, widening and addition of a third lane along I-75. Total Project Cost is $195,600,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 13 + years.
CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST OHIO
1. Franklin County North High St. (U.S. 23) – Add an express lane on U.S. 23 from Flint to Lazelle Rd. Total project cost is $7,800,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014, which keeps the project on schedule.
2. Franklin County U.S. Route 23/I-270/SR 315 Interchange – Reconstruct I-270/SR315, U.S. 23 interchange. Total project cost is $94,800,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014, which keeps the project on schedule.
3. Franklin County U.S. Route 23/I-270/SR 315– Construction of a noise wall at I-270/Linworth Rd. Total project cost is $1,200,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until 2015. Time saved is one year.
4. I-70/71 Reconstruction
a. Franklin County I-70/I-71 Interchange – Reconstruction and widening of SR315/I-70/I-71 as part of the I-70/71 project to improve safety and reduce congestion in downtown Columbus. Total project cost is $86,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2017 and without this plan would not have started until 2023. Time saved is six years.
b. Franklin County I-70/71 – Phase 2 (East Interchange) as part of the reconstruction and widening of I-70 and I-71 near Children’s Hospital. Total project cost is $235,600,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2017 and without this plan would not have started until 2019. Time saved is two years.
c. Franklin County I-70 – Construct a new storm sewer along I-70. Total project cost is $4,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until 2019. Time saved is five years.
5. Fairfield County U.S. Route 33 – Add a new interchange on U.S. 33 in Carroll at Winchester Rd. Total project cost is $48,700,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
6. Franklin County I-270/U.S. 33 – Phase 1 of the reconstruction of the I-270 and U.S. 33 interchange to increase safety and ease congestion. Total project cost is $93,800,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2015 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 12+ years.
7. Scioto County Portsmouth Bypass – Construction of a new bypass around the city of Portsmouth. Total project cost is $440,500,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014, which keeps the project on schedule.
SOUTHWEST OHIO
1. Clark County I-70 – Reconstruct, widen and add a third lane along I-70 near Springfield. Total project cost is $19,100,000. Construction start date with Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 13+ years.
2. Hamilton County I-75 – Add an additional thru lane along I-75 at Glendale/Milford & Shepherd. Total project cost is $117,000,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2016, which keeps the project on schedule.
3. Hamilton County MLK Boulevard– Construction of a new interchange along I-71 at MLK Boulevard. Total project cost is $107,740,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2014 and without this plan would not have started until after 2027. Time saved is 13+ years.
4. Hamilton I-75 (Mill Creek Expressway) – Reconstruct and widen I-75 from Hopple St. to Mitchell (Phase 5). Total project cost is $205,200,000. Construction date under Jobs and Transportation Plan is 2017 and without this plan would not have started until 2021. Time saved is 4 years.
5. Hamilton I-75 (Mill Creek Expressway) – Add a fourth lane to Mitchell both northbound and southbound (Phase 7
About half of the remaining four-lane stretch of Interstate 70 in Clark County will be widened to six lanes next year, according to a new list of statewide road projects announced on Monday.
The $19.1 million project would widen I-70 to three lanes in both directions between Enon and U.S. 68, a stretch of road that measures about four miles. The widening is expected to take about two years, said Mandi Dillon, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
When it’s done, the only remaining four-lane stretch of I-70 in Clark County would be the roughly 3.5 miles between U.S. 68 to Ohio 72. There is no timetable to widen that final stretch, Dillon said.
The I-70 widening is among $3 billion in state road projects over the next six years Ohio Gov. John Kasich announced Monday at a press conference in Cleveland. About $1.5 billion will come from bonds underwritten by future increased tolls paid by drivers on the Ohio Turnpike.
Under the state law that approved the turnpike borrowing, 90 percent of the money must be spent within 75 miles of the turnpike corridor. But the turnpike money will free up up funding for other projects — without the new money, the Clark County I-70 widening would have been delayed until 2027, ODOT officials said.
The I-70 widening is the only announced road project in the Miami Valley. The new transportation plan also moves up $471 million worth of projects along I-71 and I-75 in the Cincinnati area.
“By thinking outside the box we’re attacking Ohio’s highway budget deficit without a tax increase and keeping Ohio’s highways in top condition,” Kasich said in a written statement. “Our agriculture, manufacturing and logistics industries, as well as so many others, depend on our world class highway system for their success and the $3 billion in new funds made possible from our plan keeps them moving so Ohio’s economic recovery can keep moving.”
ODOT’s Transportation Review Advisory Council will meet Thursday to finalize the statewide road project list.
Government and community leaders in Clark County welcomed the news Monday.
State Rep. Ross McGregor, R-Springfield, said he was “ecstatic” to hear Gov. Kasich’s decision.
“It’s a real win for Clark County and Ohio,” said McGregor, the chairman of the House transportation subcommittee. “Clark countians are the ones who have to deal with it most frequently given the geography, but in reality it’s a win for Ohio and western Ohio. … I’m very appreciative of ODOT, the TRAC board and Gov. Kasich for making it a priority.”
McGregor also recognized local leaders, the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and business owners who kept the pressure on state leaders on the importance of the widening project.
“Clearly, the message was received,” McGregor said.
Scott Schmid, director of the Clark County Transportation Coordinating Committee, said there was a lot of local support from governments and the business community to move the $19.1 million project to the forefront.
“It shows what happens you all pull together and really support something,” Schmid said.
Schmid said the widening will “absolutely” improve safety on I-70 in Clark County. The speed limit on that stretch of road was recently increased to 70 miles per hour.
“With the new speed limits, it’s something we’ve been concerned about,” Schmid said. “The additional lanes will definitely help move traffic through the area.”
Clark County Commissioner John Detrick called the seven-mile stretch of two lanes “a major hazard.” It’s the only area on I-70 from Clayton to Reynoldsburg that’s less than three lanes.
“It’s very positive and it will make much safer for our citizens, as well as the 50,000 cars and 20,000 trucks that drive that section every day,” Detrick said, “and that number is growing … It’s a giant step forward.”
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