Chesapeake Bypass Phase 2
Chesapeake Bypass Phase 2
All information on this site was updated in April 2024.
Project Description
The Chesapeake Bypass project has been ongoing for twenty years. The ultimate plan for the Chesapeake Bypass project is a 4-lane, limited access highway between the State Route (SR) 527/SR 7 interchange in Chesapeake and existing SR 7 in Rome Township. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Chesapeake Bypass project was approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on November 17, 2000. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was approved by FHWA on April 16, 2001, and a Record of Decision (ROD) was issued on June 15, 2001. Right-of-way (R/W) plans have been completed and property acquisition is underway for the ultimate 4-lane highway. Due to limited funding, only Phase 1 of the project is completed; it was opened to traffic in 2006. Phase 1 included two sections: Phase 1A, a 2-lane highway which extends from the 31st Street Bridge to SR 775 and will not be expanded to four lanes in the future; and Phase 1B, a 2-lane, 4.7-mile highway between SR 775 and ending at existing SR 7 in Rome Township, which will be expanded to four lanes when future traffic demand warrants additional roadway capacity. The aerial photo below shows Phase 1 of the Chesapeake Bypass. The East Huntington Bridge is in the foreground and connects to the new 2-lane freeway which continues east until it connects with the original SR 7.
In December 2020, ODOT reinitiated detailed design and environmental studies for Phase 2. Phase 2 involves construction of a two-lane highway from the SR 527/SR 7 interchange in Chesapeake to the previously completed Phase 1 section at SR 775 in Proctorville. Phase 2 design includes the addition of a “climbing lane” for trucks and other slower traffic in locations with steep inclines. Interchanges will be provided at SR 527, SR 243, and SR 7. Based on ODOT’s traffic projections, a two-lane facility provides sufficient capacity for projected traffic demand for the foreseeable future. A four-lane section of freeway will be provided through the proposed SR 775 interchange in Proctorville due to steep slopes and safety concerns in the vicinity of the interchange. Phases 3 and 4 include the construction of the future westbound lanes to complete the four-lane highway between the SR 527/SR 7 interchange in Chesapeake to existing SR 7 in Rome Township. When the project was presented to the public at the in-person and online virtual Open Houses held in Spring 2022, funding had not been secured to complete Phase 2 in its entirety, so the project had been divided into subphases 2A and 2B which had differing construction schedules. Since that time, additional funding has been allocated for the project, allowing Phase 2 to proceed in its entirety.
Construction Phases 3 and 4
The construction of the remaining portions of the 4-lane Chesapeake Bypass will occur in phases as follows:
Phase 3: This phase includes construction of the future westbound lanes to complete the 4-lane highway between the SR 527/SR 7 interchange in Chesapeake east to SR 775 in Proctorville when future traffic conditions warrant the additional two lanes.
Phase 4: This phase includes construction of two westbound lanes between SR 775 in Proctorville east to existing SR 7 in Rome Township when future traffic conditions warrant the additional two lanes.
Funding has not been committed for Phases 3 and 4.
Right-of-Way Acquisition
In 2015, a Right-of-Way (R/W) Plan was approved for the full 4-lane buildout of the Chesapeake Bypass. Since that time, R/W acquisition has been ongoing for the full 4-lane Phase 2 facility.
The map provided below shows the Phases of the Chesapeake Bypass Project (click images to enlarge).
Chesapeake Bypass Project Phasing Map
Public Involvement
Public engagement is an important part of this project. ODOT held an in-person Open House on February 23, 2022. The purpose of that meeting was to provide an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the Phase 2 plans, which have been revised since the 2001 FEIS/ROD, and to provide the public with updated project information. In addition to the in-person Open House, a virtual Open House was conducted between February 23, 2022 and March 25, 2022 on this website. Both Open Houses provided the public with information about the project schedule, project phasing, design updates since the 2001 EIS/ROD, a summary of environmental impacts, and right-of-way updates. The contents of the Project Website were updated in April 2024.
In-Person and Online Virtual Open Houses
A total of 106 persons signed in at the in-person Open House and there was a total of 4,753 views of the online virtual Open House. A total of 66 comment forms were received, of which six were mailed/emailed to ODOT, two were submitted at the in-person Open House and 58 were submitted via the virtual Open House on the PublicInput.com website or ODOT’s website.
ODOT Responses to Public Comments
ODOT addressed each public comment received at the in-person and virtual Open Houses, or by email or mail, and provided their responses for viewing on this website on October 20, 2022. The comments and responses are compiled in a table included in the Documents Section of this website under “ODOT Public Meeting Summary Responses." In addition, a summary of the public comments most often received and ODOT’s response to these comments were posted to the Documents Section on October 20, 2022 under “ODOT Public Meeting Response Letter."
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has assumed the Federal Highway Administration’s responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by ODOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 14, 2020, and executed by FHWA and ODOT.
For more information, download the NEPA Assignment Brochure in the Document Section to the right, or visit ODOT's NEPA Assignment Portal by clicking here.
PROJECT CONTACT
If you have any questions, please contact:
Tom Barnitz, P.E., Project Manager
Ohio Department of Transportation District 9 Office
650 Eastern Avenue, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
Phone: (740) 774-8877
Email: Tom.Barnitz@dot.ohio.gov