Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Houses on US 33

I don't know if any of you have looked but there are houses that are positioned on US 33 that have direct access to US 33. They are located between Pickerington Road and Allen Road. That would mean to me that the state would be required to either buy those homes or provide another access for these home owners to get out of their properties. The houses on the north side of 33 have a service road that dead ends going north. I guess a service road connecting Allen and Pickerington Roads isn't that far off.

On the south side there is direct access to 33 also. They could reach this area with a service road from Pickerington Road south of the rail line. All of this would be in the Pickerington School District.

The PLSD ends about 1500 yards east of Allen Road until it reaches Basil Western Road.

Clarification

Yes I am talking about bridges over us33 at both allen and pickerington roads. The details of the ramps would have to be worked out. ODOT can pay for everything except possibly widening allen road. They have done it before, (SR 8 north of Hudson). Note that all of my comments regarding the access/frontage roads make reference to avoiding currently developed areas, (ie the exisiting houses who would now get access off of the access/frontage road). The exact location of the access/frontage road or roads would have to be worked out. One concept is to have only one to the north of 33 the other is to have a pair one north and one south. The key is to avoid impacts to properties and the environment. The bottom line is that all parties involved get what they want and more. The big winner is the potential for economic development from a commercial standpoint. Push the need for utilities as it is key to development.

How much money do they have?

ODOT anonymous

Now if we have two bridges won?’t that drive the costs up? Clearly that would be the best scenario for the Pickerington area by having two bridges. They service roads would add road frontage for future economical development and it would also provide access to the dozen or so homes located both north and south of the highway.

In a recent statement by the Township they indicated that it would cost the township an extra $1.8 million to make up the difference between Allen road and Pickerington Road. Has ODOT set a price or funding level that they are willing to meet and not go over it?

If ODOT is willing to consider any plan how would the local citizens present their proposals? Would you lay out all of the problems needed to be solved then propose ways to solve them? Where do we get supporting data to justify our proposal? Clearly some could come from the Regional planning but some must come from the city. I don?’t really trust the city for accurate information and what their true plans are. Has ODOT done a study on this proposed interchange?

I am still asking questions?

Guidance

Look at the SR 8 proposal north of Hudson and you will get some ansewers to your questions. ODOT should be able to provide you the details. The facility is going to be changed from an controlled access facility to a limited access facility just like what is being proposed for US 33. Also go to ODOT's web page and look at the TRAC process for funding. Given the proposal I am not sure why the locals are being asked to fund anything. ODOT wants to change 33 to limited access not the locals. ODOT standard practice is to ask the locals to pay 50% on new interchanges on existing limited access facilities. That is not the case here. As a planning study no fiscal limits should have been set. It is ODOT's job to fully evaluate proposals that are put on the table not the locals or the public. If you submit the concept in writing which could be a copy of this complete discussion it is their obligation to respond and evaluate the concept based on its merits. Cost is not a good reason to eliminate a concept on its own. Their are lots of good reasons to advance the proposed concept being discussed that outweigh cost.