TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – The corridor between Toledo and Columbus needs improvements, a study found, but don’t expect an alternate freeway as a direct route anytime soon.
The Ohio Department of Transportation unveiled the findings of an 18 month study evaluating the state’s highways on Friday.
“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,” said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn. “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.”
The study resulted in numerous recommendations, including finding a need for “significant improvements” to thoroughfares that connect Columbus and Toledo. ODOT said congestion issues are expected to expand unless addressed, as the population is slated to grow along I-75, particularly in Toledo’s suburbs, Bowling Green and Findlay.
“The corridor has a mix of full, partial, and no access control with almost 2,000 private driveways and over 400 at-grade intersections,” the statement from ODOT read. “These conflict points can lead to crashes and congestion, which degrade the safety and reliability of the travel route. This corridor contains 20% of the top segments identified in the state’s Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) which funds infrastructure improvements to prevent serious injuries and traffic deaths on Ohio roads.”
The priority recommendation is to improve US-23 between Waldo and I-270 by reducing the number of traffic lights, widening lanes, adding interchanges and building overpasses. But the study doesn’t recommend building an alternate freeway due to the estimated cost and minimal travel time reductions.
Local organizations are already voicing discontent with the findings. The Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments released a statement Friday, saying the recommendations fails to find a way to establish a true freight corridor and a direct freeway connection between the regions.
“While the state’s recommendations for U.S. 23 offer some safety and congestion improvements for Central Ohio commuters, the study ultimately upholds the status quo. This means Northwest Ohio residents and businesses remain without a safe and timely route to the state capital—one of the fastest-growing markets in the country,” TMACOG Executive Director Sandy Spang said in a statement. “A dedicated freight corridor with free-flowing, reliable, and efficient transportation is essential for both Northwest Ohio and Columbus to fully leverage the opportunities created by the upcoming opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Canada. Without decisive leadership and action from Ohio, this expansion of international trade may opt to divert from the tangle of U.S. 23, leaving our communities disconnected and unable to reach their full potential as key players in the national trade network.”
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