Ohio transportation officials have completed a final feasibility study for a potential new highway that would connect U.S. 23 in northwest Ohio to Interstate 71 south of Columbus. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission delivered this final study to state lawmakers on Wednesday. This comprehensive report outlines an approximately 18-mile route identified as the most feasible option and projects the potential cost to be between $857 million and $1.2 billion if construction were to commence in 2035.
The proposed roadway would span from U.S. 23 north of Waldo to Interstate 71 south of State Route 521. This preferred alignment also includes plans for an interchange with U.S. 42 north of the village of Ashley, according to the agencies. The estimated construction cost, ODOT notes, is contingent on several factors, including the final design of the roadway, necessary right-of-way acquisitions, the specific timing of construction, inflation rates, and the ultimate availability of funding for the project.
Officials with both ODOT and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission emphasize that the project currently remains in the planning stage. It has not yet advanced to become a formal construction project. Before the proposed connector could move into the official project development process, significant additional funding would need to be identified. This crucial funding question would also need to be resolved before ODOT could establish any firm construction schedule for the potential highway. The final report delivered to lawmakers does not authorize construction; instead, it provides state officials with detailed information to aid their decision-making process on whether the project should move forward.
The feasibility study examined several potential transportation benefits for the region. These benefits include projected travel-time savings and safety improvements along current routes. ODOT’s projections indicate that if the proposed roadway were built along the preferred alignment, it could carry approximately 21,900 vehicles per day by 2055, assuming drivers would not be charged a toll. However, if tolls were implemented, the study projects a significantly lower average daily traffic of about 8,500 vehicles.
The study also estimates substantial reductions in travel times for drivers traveling between I-475 in the Toledo area and I-270 around Columbus. Under the conditions analyzed by the agencies, travel time could be reduced by about six minutes during free-flow conditions. During the morning peak period, the estimated reduction could potentially reach up to 22 minutes. These projections are based on existing conditions on U.S. 23 and also factor in an assumption that an additional lane would be added in each direction on Interstate 71.
The proposed route is intended to establish another vital connection between northwest Ohio and the Columbus area. This new link aims to potentially alleviate congestion and enhance travel conditions along existing routes, according to the agencies. ODOT and the Ohio Turnpike Infrastructure Commission initiated the feasibility study to assess whether building a new connector was viable and to determine what a potential alignment and its associated costs might entail.
The agencies have stated that the projected safety and travel-time benefits outlined in the study outweigh the estimated cost of the project, based on their analysis. However, no final decision has been made regarding the construction of the roadway. The next steps would require state officials to assess the availability of funding and decide if the project warrants advancing into the formal development process. For drivers in northwest Ohio, the proposed connector could eventually offer an alternative route toward central Ohio, providing a direct link to I-71 south of Columbus. The study represents the latest development in evaluating an idea that remains years away from potential construction, with officials stating the project is still under consideration. If funding and additional approvals are secured, construction could begin as early as 2035, under the assumptions used in the study.
