6-state highway plan could relieve Route 23 pressure
Why it matters: The new route could help relieve Delaware County roads that are bursting at the seams.
Delaware is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, and its main thoroughfare is dangerous and wildly over capacity.
The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to work on the stretch one way or another.
Driving the news: ODOT is conducting a $1.5 million feasibility study about a proposed Interstate 73-74-75 corridor spanning from northern Michigan to South Carolina's coast, Cleveland.com reported this week.
The plan would create a new stretch of highway (I-73) between Findlay and Columbus, with a new bypass connecting Route 23 to I-71 north of Columbus.
Flashback: Various ideas for the interstate have been discussed for decades, largely spearheaded by leadership in the Carolinas.
Between the lines: The I-73/I-74/I-75 Corridor Association is led by Jimmy Gray, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
The vacation spot stands to benefit from a new route that would cut travel time by "hours" for those in Michigan and Ohio.
Zoom in: ODOT has been working for years to relieve pressure on Route 23, Delaware County's main road.
Last year, the department's Route 23 Connect Study found it has 30% more traffic than it was designed to accommodate, causing congestion, delays and crashes.
ODOT's action plan, released earlier this year, calls for $1.6 billion in improvements.
Yes, but: ODOT spokesperson Matt Bruning tells Axios that "doing something about US 23 is a separate issue from whether or not there's eventually an I-73."
The highway feasibility study will "give decision makers the information needed to determine what the next steps — if any — might be."
"US 23 has to be addressed regardless of other ideas and studies. Might there be overlap? Perhaps."
What they're saying: U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) introduced the resolution supporting ODOT's feasibility study and is a proponent of the interstate.
"An interstate through southern Ohio would not just help connect rural communities to the modern economy but would enhance our national security because of multiple key facilities and defense-related companies along the route," he said in a hearing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
3 days ago
- Axios
6-state highway plan could relieve Route 23 pressure
A proposed six-state highway involving Ohio is meant to boost commerce and give vacationing Midwesterners a direct shot to Myrtle Beach. Why it matters: The new route could help relieve Delaware County roads that are bursting at the seams. Delaware is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, and its main thoroughfare is dangerous and wildly over capacity. The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to work on the stretch one way or another. Driving the news: ODOT is conducting a $1.5 million feasibility study about a proposed Interstate 73-74-75 corridor spanning from northern Michigan to South Carolina's coast, reported this week. The plan would create a new stretch of highway (I-73) between Findlay and Columbus, with a new bypass connecting Route 23 to I-71 north of Columbus. Flashback: Various ideas for the interstate have been discussed for decades, largely spearheaded by leadership in the Carolinas. Between the lines: The I-73/I-74/I-75 Corridor Association is led by Jimmy Gray, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. The vacation spot stands to benefit from a new route that would cut travel time by "hours" for those in Michigan and Ohio. Zoom in: ODOT has been working for years to relieve pressure on Route 23, Delaware County's main road. Last year, the department's Route 23 Connect Study found it has 30% more traffic than it was designed to accommodate, causing congestion, delays and crashes. ODOT's action plan, released earlier this year, calls for $1.6 billion in improvements. Yes, but: ODOT spokesperson Matt Bruning tells Axios that "doing something about US 23 is a separate issue from whether or not there's eventually an I-73." The highway feasibility study will "give decision makers the information needed to determine what the next steps — if any — might be." "US 23 has to be addressed regardless of other ideas and studies. Might there be overlap? Perhaps." What they're saying: U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) introduced the resolution supporting ODOT's feasibility study and is a proponent of the interstate. "An interstate through southern Ohio would not just help connect rural communities to the modern economy but would enhance our national security because of multiple key facilities and defense-related companies along the route," he said in a hearing.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Sherrod Brown, Ohio's highest-profile Democrat, expected to seek a return to the US Senate in 2026
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio's best-known Democrat, is expected to make another run for the U.S. Senate next year, giving Democrats a likely boost as they wage an uphill fight to win control of the chamber. Brown has not yet made a formal announcement, but people familiar with his plans who were not authorized to speak publicly about them said he plans to run. One person said an announcement could come by the end of next week. The decision was first reported by Brown, 72, seeks the Senate seat currently held by Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, 57, a former Ohio lieutenant governor, state senator and secretary of state who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Democrats view Brown, a three-term former senator and champion of the working class, as among their most formidable candidates despite his 2024 reelection defeat to Republican Bernie Moreno. His entry into the race would mark another major recruiting win for the party. While Democrats face a daunting Senate map in next year's midterm elections, they have been buoyed by the decisions of well known candidates to run in high-profile races. That includes in North Carolina, where former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper announced that he will be running for an open Senate seat, giving Democrats a proven statewide winner in a race that is expected to be one of the most competitive 2026 contests. Republicans, meanwhile, have struggled to line up candidates in key battleground states like Georgia, where term-limited Brian Kemp passed on challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff, whom Republican leaders have made their biggest target in next year's midterm elections. In Ohio, numerous fellow Democrats had been deferring to Brown before announcing their own plans for 2026, when every statewide executive office in Ohio is up for grabs due to term limits. Besides Senate, Brown was also weighing a run for governor. He immediately becomes the front-runner for the Democratic Senate nomination. Husted was appointed to succeed then-Sen. JD Vance after Vance won the 2024 election alongside Trump. Husted's appointment to the seat expires next year. The winner of a fall 2026 special election will serve the remainder of Vance's unexpired six-year term, which runs through 2028, and then would need to run again for a full term. It's unclear how Brown's usual electoral advantage in name recognition might play against Husted, who spent more than 20 years as a statewide officeholder and state lawmaker. But Democratic strategists said Tuesday that a Husted-Brown race would be more centered on Ohio themes, an advantage for Brown over last year's nationally focused contest against Moreno. Trump's endorsement has been a winning formula in Senate bids by both Moreno and Vance before him, who both scored wins as political newcomers even amid fields that included more experienced rivals. Husted's campaign spokesman Tyson Shepherd said in a statement, 'Should Brown enter the race as (Senate Democratic Leader Chuck) Schumer's handpicked candidate he will be starting in the biggest hole of his political career. He has never faced a candidate like Jon Husted.' Ahead of his decision, Schumer visited Ohio to meet with Brown at least twice, as first reported by Axios. Schumer's deep-pocketed Senate Majority PAC helped make Brown's race against Moreno the most expensive in U.S. history.
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Democrat Sherrod Brown will attempt to win back his Senate seat in 2026: report
Democrat Sherrod Brown will attempt to win back his U.S. Senate seat in Ohio in next year's midterm elections, according to media reports, in a race that likely would pit him against Republican Senator John Husted as Democrats fight to win back control of the chamber. The media site reported that Brown will jump into the contest, citing unnamed Ohio labor leaders familiar with his thinking. Brown was not reachable for comment. 4 Democrat Sherrod Brown will attempt to win back his Senate seat in Ohio, reports say. The Washington Post via Getty Images 4 Sherrod Brown will challenge Senator Jon Husted who is one of Ohio's senators. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Brown, 72, served for 18 years in the Senate before he lost to Republican Bernie Moreno last November in a 50.1%-46.5% vote. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Ohio could become the site of one of a half-dozen most competitive races in next year's elections. Husted was appointed in January to temporarily fill the seat vacated by JD Vance when he became vice president. The winner of the November 2026 special election would serve the remainder of Vance's Senate term, ending in January 2029. Brown anchored his long congressional career as a dogged fighter for blue-collar workers in Ohio, which has suffered job losses as steel, automotive and other jobs moved abroad. 4 Sherrod Brown served in the Senate for 18 years before he lost his seat. Getty Images 4 Republican Senator Jon Husted was appointed to fill the seat vacated by JD Vance when he became the vice president. Bloomberg via Getty Images Once a battlefield state, Ohio has leaned increasingly Republican over the past decade. Last November, Republican Donald Trump handily defeated Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris 55.2%-44% in Ohio, where he remains a potent political force. Both Brown and Husted would be favored to win their respective parties' primary races next year. After his defeat last November, Brown founded the Dignity of Work Institute, aimed at improving pay and benefits for working-class people.
