Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

ODOT Anonymous,

Today in the local paper ?“This Week?” there was a letter from a Todd Russell. Mr. Russell pointed out a few more problems associated with this interchange at either Allen Road or Pickerington Road.

The idea that we must select from either Allen Road or Pickerington Road and that the cost of Allen Road is $10 to $20 million more than Pickerington Road and we must make up the difference if we choose Allen Road. I also understand that this project IF APPROVED will not start until 2007. However we must make our local decision in 30 some days. If we fail to raise the $10 million plus dollars locally then we loose the opportunity to have an interchange at either road. That concerns me.


Mr. Russell also points out fire and rescue service would be delayed because the fire station is currently on the Pickerington-Lockville Road and they would have a detour to get south of US 33. I saw first hand this problem in Obetz and the section just south of their fire house takes over 7 miles out of their way to get to I 270. I stopped for an accident years ago and we waited for ever for the squad. I don?’t think we want to repeat Obetz?’s problem.

http://www.thisweeknews.com/thisweek.php?edition=pik&story=thisweeknews/061903/pik/News/061903-News-277964.html


So how does the local government raise this money to put the interchange at Allen Road? How do they make access to route 33 so that rescue vehicles don't get delayed responding to an accident? Is there federal funds available before we commit to which road we want the interchange? If we can raise $20 million locally for an interchange couldn't we also use that $20 million to provide connector roads?

ODOT/letter Missleading Public

All readers of this site are encouraged to visit the ODOT web site and to visit the TRAC pages contained within regarding the funding issue. The funding for the proposed US 33 upgrade will in part come out of the TRAC process. The higher the local share the more points the application recieves. A local share however is not required.

In regards to the design of any interchange all elements of any of the proposals presented by ODOT or within these discussion pages are fully eligible for ODOT funding and potentially for Federal funding should ODOT choose to use those funds. This would be a one time deal to implement the proposed action in accordance with the ''purpose and need'' for the proposed action. Check out the State Route 8 decision north of Hudson to validate the above. A copy of the decision can be obtained from ODOT District 4 at 1 (800) 603-1054.

Any statements contrary to the above should be challenged by the community.

Remember ODOT is proposing to take something away from the community, ''access''. To do such without fully mitigating the impacts is not consistent with the ODOT project development process. Check out ODOT's Planning and Environmental pages.

By ODOT web surfer

First I've heard


Ted - I haven't seen This Week, but the $10-$20M quote for the Allen Road exchange is the first I have heard that it would cost that much.

Hopefully the article quotes sources & breaks those figures down.

I don't believe we can get viable Commercial development within the PLSD without improving the existing roads - whether on Allen or Pickerington to handle the type of vehicles we hope to attract. You only need to drive down any well traveled road - Diley, Busey, etc to see what trucks do to unimproved country roads. I would hope that we wouldn't think that development of any kind can take place without road improvements.

These are all great questions to pose to ODOT at the June 26th meeting. I hope the Community will go & ask questions & get informed on this issue.

Commercial development is critical if we hope to dig the schools out of the Financial Disaster they have approaching - we need to take whatever steps necessary to assure we have viable commercial development within the PLSD Boundaries.

Editorial - Public Input L-E-G

Today's Lancaster Eagle Gazette-

Your input is needed at public hearing




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E D I T O R I A L
More than half of Lancaster workers drive outside the city to their employment.

A lot of them work in or near Columbus, as evidenced by the rush-hour congestion on U.S. 33 every morning and afternoon.

Add that to the rocketing growth of the northeastern part of Fairfield County and the effect of the bypass to connect Columbus to the rest of southeastern Ohio, and you have a jam-packed, but vital, U.S. 33 highway between Carroll and the capital city.

That's why it is important for residents to attend hearings concerning the highway's development and to voice their opinions. The public hearings focus on a 13-mile stretch of U.S. 33 becoming a limited access road between the Lancaster bypass in Fairfield County and Hamilton Road in Franklin County. The next public hearing will be from 4 to 8 p.m. June 26 at Peace United Methodist Church, 235 Diley Road N., Pickerington.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has its ideas for future interchange locations on U.S. 33. The U.S. 33 Growth Alliance has its own ideas.

For instance, the alliance is supporting an interchange in the Carroll area, just north of Winchester Road. One plan being considered by ODOT would have the nearest interchange for Carroll located approximately 5 miles north of the village, effectively cutting the village into two parts.

We want to be sure you bring up your own ideas. Proposals from developers will be shown at the meeting and your opinions need to be heard.

''We will look at each comment and try to see if they can be incorporated into the final environmental plan,'' said Cindy Brown, spokeswoman for ODOT District 5.

If residents miss the meeting Thursday, public comments still may be made for inclusion in the environmental report until July 25 and should be sent to Rob Miller, CH2M HILL, 5775 Perimeter Drive, Dublin, Ohio 43017.

When funding becomes available for this project in 2007, this will be as big of a project as the U.S. 33 bypass for Lancaster and Fairfield County residents. Let's make sure residents get a say in how the project is developed.

Originally published Friday, June 20, 2003



By Webmaster III