Study Background

The City of New Albany and the surrounding area are experiencing substantial growth in population and development, especially after recently securing the Intel development, the largest single private sector company investment in Ohio’s history.  In anticipation of this development, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has identified the State Route (SR) 37 corridor between U.S. 23, Interstate 71, and SR 161 as an area of concern needing further evaluation.

In pursuit of our mission to provide a transportation system that is safe, accessible, and positioned for the future, ODOT is conducting the following study of the SR 37 corridor.

Study Objectives

The objective of this study is to provide recommendations of projects that would improve the existing roadway conditions along the SR 37 corridor and accommodate the anticipated traffic demands from future development and land use changes. The study’s primary objective is to focus on improvements that are feasible to implement within a ten-year timeframe. Completion of the corridor study is set for early 2025.

The study team will first collect relevant information about the SR 37 corridor through the following methods:

• Analyze existing data, including transportation studies, land use plans, and traffic data.
• Meet with local stakeholders to understand existing traffic issues and planned development.
• Work with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and use modeling software that will predict traffic volumes resulting from anticipated development and land use changes.
• Conduct field surveys and investigations to further assess the existing conditions of the SR 37 corridor.

The study team will then identify and evaluate potential solutions that can be implemented within a ten-year timeframe. Solutions will focus on addressing safety, congestion, and other issues, and could include road widenings, roundabouts, and intersection improvements.  Recommendations will consider the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists, compatibility with the surrounding environment and community character, environmental impacts, and cost.

Intel Development

Intel's proposed construction of a new semi-conductor fabrication facility in New Albany, Ohio will generate an impressive 3,500 job opportunities during its initial development phase, with the potential for three additional phases, each resulting in an equivalent number of employment opportunities. Furthermore, the region's economy is expected to receive a considerable boost from the creation of approximately 7,000 jobs resulting from the construction of the facility.

Silicon Heartland Transportation Partnership

The Intel development will create a substantial impact on traffic demands in the central Ohio area. As a result, ODOT has launched the Silicon Heartland Transportation Partnership, aimed at addressing transportation needs within a 20, 40, and 60-minute radius of Intel's fabrication facility.

An extensive evaluation of the 20-minute travel time led to the identification of nearly 70 projects, carrying an estimated cost of nearly $1.5 billion. ODOT further analyzed which crucial projects could be executed within a 5-year timeline and identified almost 21 projects costing around $88 million. Local officials and transportation agencies have pinpointed the SR 37 corridor between U.S. 23, Interstate 71, and SR 161 as an area of potential concern, and thus the corridor was selected for further evaluation. Both the Licking and Delaware County Transportation Districts have shown keen interest in examining this corridor.