SUNBURY — Construction is underway on a major overhaul of the interchange at Interstate 71, U.S. 36 and State Route 37, part of a long-term effort to reshape one of Delaware County’s fastest-growing areas.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is also preparing to build a new roadway, Sunbury Parkway, in future phases.
The seven-phase project is part of ODOT’s $3.4 billion construction season this year — a record-breaking investment that includes nearly 1,000 projects statewide.
Crews began Phase A, a $55.3 million set of partial interchange improvements, in 2025. Construction is expected to continue through 2027, according to ODOT District 6 Public Information Officer Hannah Salem.
Later phases will extend beyond the interchange itself. Phases C through G include construction of Sunbury Parkway, a new east-west roadway that will range from two to seven lanes at different points.
That portion of the project will take years to unfold. The first phase of Sunbury Parkway (Phase C) is expected to begin in 2027, while the final phase (Phase G) is not scheduled to start until 2035.
In preparation, the city of Sunbury is already discussing zoning updates to guide future housing and commercial development around the improved areas.
So what parts are underway today, and what can Sunbury residents look forward to once the orange barrels go away?
Here’s a full breakdown.
Phase A as it stands today
Most of the current work on Phase A has taken place “offline,” meaning it hasn’t significantly disrupted traffic, according to Salem.
“[It] has been nice for motorists to see an improvement, but not have any traffic,” she said.
This $55.3 million phase focuses on building a new interchange bridge and additional on- and off-ramps — upgrades designed to work alongside the future Sunbury Parkway to give drivers more ways in and out of the area.
Salem said the design is partially modeled after the interchange near Polaris, where multiple access points help distribute traffic more efficiently.
With destinations like Tanger Outlets in proximity to the existing interchange, Salem said the additional options are expected to ease congestion over time.
“Especially with all the growth in Sunbury and the surrounding communities as well, we’re hoping to give traffic some options on where to go,” she said.
Once Sunbury Parkway is complete, drivers heading into Sunbury will be able to bypass some of the congestion along State Route 37 by using the new interchange and roadway.
While earlier versions of the project stalled when construction relied on private development funding, Salem said the effort remained a priority for both ODOT and the city of Sunbury.
“We ended up partnering [with the city of Sunbury] and funding the project in chunks as it becomes available,” she said. “The city has been a great partner to ODOT in this process.”
Below is an image that breaks down what funds contributed to each phase. Credit: ODOT
Sunbury eyes development along new roadways
While ODOT is focused on easing traffic, City Administrator Daryl Hennessy said the new interchange and future Sunbury Parkway could open the door for economic development.
Hennessy credited Delaware County and state officials for designing and funding Phase A to allow for such an opportunity down the road.
“In 2023, the city did undertake a district-level planning exercise where we engaged an outside consultant to look at potential future land uses,” Hennessy explained.
From that exercise, officials created a plan that identified new zoning districts along Sunbury Parkway. The city is using the plan as a guide to update its zoning code with the new districts.
Near the interchange, Hennessy said the recommendation is for “gateway mixed-use” development — a blend of commercial, office and retail spaces intended to serve as a first impression of the area.
The city hopes to attract a large capital investment in the form of a job generator — a catalytic employer to anchor the growth in Phase A.
“The other mixed uses around the gateway should be what we’ve described as horizontal or vertical mixed use commercial, office, retail types of uses,” Hennessy added.
That could include buildings with shops or offices on the ground floor and apartments above.
To prepare for these development opportunities and stay on pace with ODOT, Hennessy said the city aims to update its zoning code by early next year.
