Toledo Regional Chamber Of Commerce: ODOT Studying Connection Between Toledo And Columbus

Press release from the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce:

6/15/2021

Stakeholder meeting to be held June 24 at noon.The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has begun a study to evaluate different options for improvements between Waldo in Marion County and I-270 in Franklin County. The Route 23 Connect: Delaware Regional Connection Study will determine the feasibility of creating a free-flow connection between Columbus and Toledo. ​ Improving this route is an integral part of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s public policy agenda due to its importance of efficient flow of goods between Toledo and central Ohio and beyond. The Toledo region is the only metropolitan area in Ohio that is not connected to Columbus via an interstate highway. This can cause significant delays in the movement of both people and goods, especially in the area just north of Columbus.The study will evaluate multiple large-scale improvements, including an upgrade of the existing alignment, and a combination of the existing alignment and new connections to U.S. 33 or I-71. More details on the study are provided on ODOT’s website at http://transportation.ohio.gov/23connect. Stakeholder input is an important part of the project development process and your input is needed to help guide the outcome. A stakeholder meeting businesses will be held on Thursday, June 24, 2021 at 12:00pm. This will be a virtual meeting that you can participate in by joining online or by phone.Online: https://publicinput.com/23connect, Meeting Code 4637Phone:  1-855-925-2801 Meeting Code: 4637The primary purpose of this meeting is to gather feedback on the existing U.S. 23 corridor and how it impacts your community/organization. A brief update on the study will be provided, however the meeting will be primarily focused on listening to concerns and needs related to U.S. 23. Participants are welcome and encouraged to ask questions and/or provide comments during this meeting. Over the coming 12-15 months, it is expected that there will be additional stakeholder meetings as concept solutions are developed and evaluated. Prior to the meeting, ODOT is encouraging individuals to fill out a survey regarding the U.S. 23 corridor. This will help them better understand your perspective of the issues on U.S. 23 and facilitate productive discussion during the Stakeholder Meeting. The survey is located on the “Survey” tab at https://publicinput.com/23connect. Comments are also encouraged during and after the meeting. ODOT has asked that all comments be submitted by July 26, 2021. The project website (http://transportation.ohio.gov/23connect) is the best place to provide comments outside of the formal public outreach meetings. Comments may also be provided via email, phone or mail to:Anthony Turowski, P.E. Project ManagerOhio Department of Transportation - District 6 400 East William StreetDelaware, OH 43015  Anthony.Turowski@dot.state.oh.us 740-833-8186The Chamber will continue to be an advocate and work with partners such as the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments to make these improvements a reality for improvement along the 23 Corridor. 

This press release was produced by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.