The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is considering five potential routes for a new freeway connecting U.S. 23 and Interstate 71. The proposed routes are all located north of the village of Ashley in Delaware County, a location chosen to minimize impacts on homes, communities, and the environment.
ODOT is accepting public comments on the five routes until April 14, and will submit a final study in October. The need for a connector stems from increasing traffic due to population and economic growth north of Columbus. Delaware County experienced a population increase of 24,000 residents between 2017 and 2022 and boasts high job growth and economic output.
Three potential routes south of Ashley were dismissed due to potential impacts on Delaware State Park and the presence of federal floodplains, which would increase project costs and complexity. ODOT is simultaneously studying 33 potential improvements to U.S. 23 itself, through a project called Route 23 Connect, including new medians and traffic signals.
ODOT is similarly conducting a $1.5-million study to assess the feasibility of a new Interstate 73, potentially following much of the U.S. 23 corridor from Toledo to Chesapeake, Ohio. The precise routes and funding for I-73 remain undetermined.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted this study?
Ohio’s operating budget, signed into law in 2025, directed ODOT to study the feasibility of connecting U.S. 23 and I-71 north of Delaware to relieve traffic congestion.
Where are the proposed routes located?
All five proposed routes run north of the village of Ashley in Delaware County.
How can the public provide input?
Public comments can be submitted on ODOT’s public info website, in person at a series of open house meetings in March, or by email.
As ODOT moves forward with its feasibility study, what role will public feedback play in shaping the future of transportation in central Ohio?
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