Tuesday, April 20, 1999
No money to widen Ohio 63
BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MONROE — Driving on Ohio 63 near Interstate 75 during rush hour, or on weekends when motorists vie for position to get to two flea markets, is a challenge.
But burgeoning development of this small community nestled between Cincinnati and Dayton is making it worse, particularly at I-75 near Corridor 75 Park and Interstate 75 Industrial Park. The booming housing industry is adding to the mix.
Preliminary engineering work has been done for a major widening project to ease the congestion. But the city learned recently that funding for the estimated $3.7 million project will be delayed.
The goal had been to get the work started by late next year, but the city can't afford the hefty price. And the 80 percent funding that was recently approved by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) may not be available until 2003, said Jay Stewart, assistant city manager.
That date is tentative and could change, based on several factors, he said.
“It's critical to stay ahead, so we don't have a completely gridlocked situation,” Mr. Stewart said.
But at today's prices, the city's share of the cost — including design and engineering — will be nearly $1 million.
“So even if we have to wait until 2003, we'll just have to wait unless the businesses want to come forward and help spring for it. But that doesn't happen often,” he said.
Meanwhile, the growth continues in this city of about 6,800 that straddles the Butler-Warren county line. And it's being reflected on the highway.
Corridor 75 Park, an 800-acre property just east of I-75, is the home of six fast-food restaurants and a gas station. A 180,000-square-foot building to house West Chester Marketing is nearly finished, and several businesses are considering that site, said Lenny Robinson, of Robinson Lawton Kent Realtors, the park's managing agent.
The average daily traffic count on Ohio 63 at I-75 was 12,750 in 1978, 21,760 in 1994, said Bob Marshall, in the traffic monitoring section of the Ohio Department of Transportation in Columbus.
Since 1994, experts say traffic has increased 3 percent per year.
“We're hoping to do this (road) work to stay one step ahead of the development in that area,” Mr. Stewart said. “We're trying to avoid massive traffic tie-ups there.”
Plans include expanding Ohio 63 from four to six lanes from the I-75 northbound off ramp (heading east) to near the railroad tracks at Union Road.
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