The Lucas County commissioners are joining a number of area jurisdictions in northwest Ohio that are calling for an improved highway system leading to Franklin County and the state capital.
At the February 28 meeting, the commissioners passed a resolution urging Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation to review and reconsider a decision to end the U.S. Route 23 Connect Study and provide a long-term solution to address the “critical need for an improved highway connection between northwest and central Ohio.”
“Northwest Ohio needs a more direct highway to connect to columbus and the surrounding central Ohio counties,” said Commissioner Lisa Sobecki.
She noted that the “lack of a direct route has essentially cut Toledo and northwest Ohio off from economic, political and social opportunity that comes with easy access to the state capital.”
The commissioners believe the lack of an efficient highway system puts this part of the state at a disadvantage.
“Toledo is the only metropolitan city in Ohio without a free-flowing connection to the state capital,” the commissioners point out, adding that motorists must navigate through numerous traffic signals just to reach Franklin County.
“The area on Route 23 between Waldo in Marion County and I-270 in northern Franklin is especially congested with anywhere from 30,000 to 80,000 vehicles on that portion of the highway daily,” Ms. Sobecki said.
The commissioners point to a study by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission that said central Ohio is expected to add more than 1 million households and jobs over the next 20 years, and ODOT projects that truck traffic will double by 2050.
“And Toledo and Lucas County as a logistics and freight hub will grow in importance due to the expansion of the I-73/74/75 corridor,” said Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak.
They further believe that Intel’s $20 billion investment to construct chip manufacturing plants in Licking County will be hampered “because Toledo and the region is outside the two-hour radius that is preferred for suppliers.”
The commissioners concluded, “An improved highway connection to link Lucas County and northwest Ohio to Franklin County and central Ohio is critical to Ohio’s continued economic development and commerce growth as well as to address safety concerns on the existing Route 23 corridor.”
Other Business
In other business, the commissioners:
•Approved the purchase of property at Bancroft Street and McCord Road from JTM Brook Park Ltd for $71,695. The acreage is needed for construction of a roundabout at the intersection.
•Authorized an agreement with Craig Harris of West Valley Development for construction of a sanitary sewer on Maumee-Western Road in Monclova Township.
The developer will construct the sewer at his cost and established a pay-cashto- tap agreement with the county.
•Promoted Carrie Zimo to senior budget analyst in the Department of Jobs and Family Services at a pay rate of $38.22 per hour.
•Approved a supplemental agreement with Fishbeck of Perrysburg for facility and site improvements at the water resource recover facility (WRRF) for $409,887.
The commissioners also entered into a professional services agreement with the company for air quality services at the facility. The $17,300 contract calls for Fishbeck to establish an air quality testing and record keeping system.
In a related matter, they awarded a contract for the purchase of ferrous chloride for the WRRF to Kemira water Solutions Inc. of Lawrence, Kansas for $255,000. The agreement runs through December 31, 2027.
•Accepted a local assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds award of $100,000 as authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
•Entered into an agreement with Rudolph Libbe Inc. of Walbridge for construction management services related to construction of the new canine care and control facility at 1301 Monroe Street for an amount not to exceed $536,601.
•Amended an agreement with Heritage Health Solutions LLC which handles medical claims for inmates, increasing the amount for the service by $49,000.
•Accepted a grant through the American Rescue Plan Act of $38,72 for the sheriff’s office. The funds will be used for eighthour wellness training sessions required for all sheriff’s employees.
•Authorized the electronic filing of the federal equitable sharing agreement which sets forth requirements for participation in the program.
Accepted grant awards for the Violence Against Women Response Team Program of $57,757.
The grant requires an inkind match of $19,252 and will be used for the victimwitness assistance program administered by the county prosecutor’s office.
•Entered into executive session to discuss pending court action, but took no action afterward. ~Jane Maiolo
