DELAWARE — The Ohio Department of Transportation received more than 2,000 public comments on the proposed U.S. Route 23/Interstate 71 connector project, with residents raising concerns ranging from property impacts to traffic, environmental effects and project cost.
In an April update, ODOT addressed several of the most common concerns submitted through the project website and public open houses held in March.
Residents can expect more open houses this summer.
The agency categorized the comments into five main categories:
- Improving U.S. Route 23
- Impacts to homes, farms and property values
- Project cost and purpose
- Environmental Impacts
- Local roads and emergency access
“ODOT appreciates the time and effort taken by residents, property owners and stakeholders to provide input on the US 23/I-71 Connector Feasibility Study,” the update states.
“Responses to all comments will be posted in the coming weeks.”
Delaware Source asked ODOT Public Information Officer for District 6, Hannah Salem, what the agency meant by responding to all comments.
“This was really a precursor to our larger response to comments,” Salem said.
“All of the comments will be addressed and posted to our public input website. The topics outlined here were really the five most common topics that we heard.
“You can expect the answers to these [other] comments to be similar to the topics [in this update], but as people have other, more individualized concerns, we can also get into that.”
ODOT Press Secretary Matt Bruning said ODOT will likely respond to public comments similarly to the way the agency is handling the Brent Spence Bridge corridor project in Cincinnati.
“There is a section of public comments, and you can see how every month for that project, we have displayed comments that have come in and responses that have gone out,” Bruning said.
“It’s just a matter of transparency to let everybody see that these are the questions we’ve gotten from these 2,000 comments and these are the responses we are putting back out to them.”
First responses to connector concerns
Bruning said folks should think of this first response as an FAQ, or frequently heard comments.
“I think the point of this April update here is also to just make sure that those who have submitted those comments don’t think we haven’t heard them, we’re just kind of summarizing everything,” Bruning said.
Salem added that the agency will eventually post a very large document responding to all comments, but ODOT is still working through the details of that.
Delaware Source filed a public records request with ODOT and received nearly all 2,000 public comments.
Below are a few public comments tied to one of the agency’s five feedback categories, along with ODOT’s response in its April update.
Improving U.S. Route 23
Instead of completing the Route 23 improvements, determining their effectiveness, and then proceeding with a new study if necessary, we are proceeding with multiple projects/studies all at once. Completely ridiculous.
ODOT’s reponse:
“ODOT has heard strong and consistent feedback on improving U.S. 23. Improvements along U.S. 23 are being advanced separately and this Feasibility Study does not replace or delay that work.”
Impacts to homes, farms and property values
“I am opposed to the proposed 23 bypass. It does not have in mind the hundreds of homes and businesses that will be destroyed for the citizens of Delaware County,” a public comment states.
“Loss of money in property taxes for Delaware County will grossly affect revenue for the county and ruin farmland that will never be recovered.”
ODOT responds:
“The study is focused on identifying a recommended alignment that minimizes impacts to homes, farmland and communities. ODOT recognizes that changes to surrounding conditions may be a concern for property owners, including questions related to property values.
“This effort is limited to evaluation and cost elimination; any future decisions beyond the study will be made after the required October 1, 2026, submission of the completed study, and no additional project funding has been identified at this time.”
Project cost and purpose
“So our representatives have decided that, despite the improvements being made to 23 south of Delaware to 270, it is a good idea to spend $1.6 billion of our tax money so they can save 4 to 18 minutes of drive time for truckers. My question: Is the 4- to 18-minute time savings estimate based on the current drive or the projected drive time after 23 improvements have been made?”
ODOT’s reponse:
“The study is evaluating both the potential benefits and impacts of a connection, including system performance and regional travel.
“Additional details on costs and benefits will be presented at the next round of public meetings.”
Environmental impacts
We don’t have to take every undeveloped piece of land and develop it. Deer and other animals are already displaced because of so much growth in Delaware County. How will they survive?
ODOT responds:
“Many comments raised concerns related to wildlife, water resources, farmland preservation, noise and air quality.
“If the study advances, these topics will be evaluated in detail during the next phase under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including coordination with environmental agencies and identification of mitigation measures.”
Local roads and emergency access
This is a horrible idea. Why not just beef up Route 36 and connect the smaller towns in central Ohio (Marysville to Johnstown) and improve those areas and economies.
ODOT’s response:
“Concerns about roads being cut off and impacts to emergency response and bus routes were raised frequently.
“Current concepts assume that most road crossings would be maintained through grade-separated solutions, such as bridges, rather than permanently closing connections.
“These considerations are being evaluated in more detail, including coordination with local emergency service providers and school administrators.”
