It’s a project that has long been on the drawing boards of local planners and developers, literally paving the way to complexes that house hundreds of area distribution and logistics jobs near the airport.
MORE: Police following shooting: 'We are more resilient now than ever before'
“Proud day for the state of Ohio,” Kershner said in a text Wednesday.
Prospects for the project have looked promising. In October, TRAC approved a “draft” list of projects to be funded, including work on the interchange of National Road (U.S. 40) and the airport access road.
Airport advocates have said the project will serve not only travelers but an ever-growing concentration of businesses.
“Efficient roads and infrastructure access is a key economic development tool for the Dayton region,” Kershner said last month.
The access road connects Interstate 70 and National Road, as well as airport parking areas, to the north.
When northbound vehicles turn left onto National from the access road, that leads to Concorde Drive, Dog Leg Road, Old Springfield Pike and several logistics operations. Turning right leads to Vandalia.
The project had been a key proposal last year on the Dayton Development Coalition-guided annual wish list of projects that should be prioritized for local lobbying efforts.
Improving the intersection of Airport Access Road and U.S. 40 would create more than 1,000 jobs short-term, according to a project application submitted last year.
About the Author
