The Dayton-area projects make up 44% of projects that would cost just over a total of $123 million, if TRAC approves all of the proposals on that day’s meeting agenda.
The March 25 vote will not formally approve funding for those projects, but approval would advance them to a draft list of proposed highway projects. An official vote on funding is scheduled for April 23.
After the TRAC vote, a public comment period will begin.
“The Dayton region is booming,” said Chris Kershner, president and chief executive of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce as well as vice chair of the TRAC committee. “Infrastructure investments support economic growth, and it’s no accident that the state is doubling down on the Dayton region.”
“Catalytic economic growth is happening today and future investments are in the queue,” he added. “Infrastructure investments today will ensure the Dayton region continues to be well positioned for growth.”
Projects TRAC is scheduled to consider March 25 include:
- $17.6 million to support access to logistics distribution centers near Dayton International Airport.
- $6 million of work on the interchange of interstates 70 and 675, easing access for motorists heading to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in northwestern Greene County.
- $27 million to ease access to 700 acres of developable land in Butler County near the I-75/Millikin Road interchange.
- And $4 million for a “Bluegrass Parkway” in Fayette County, meant to ease access to the Honda electric vehicle battery plant near Jeffersonville.
Asked about the Clark County project, a spokesman for ODOT referred to an application to the TRAC committee showing proposed work around the I-70/I-675 interchange. The hope is that changes would ease access toward Wright-Patterson, which has some 38,000 military and civilian employees.
The work envisioned would realign the ramp from northbound 675 to eastbound 70, offering a gentler curve.
But a bigger change is planned: From I-70 westbound to I-675 southbound, the cloverleaf loop ramp would be removed for a flyover ramp. A flyover ramp “flies” traffic over for a smoother merger, similar to the ramp from northbound 75 to westbound 70, heading to the Dayton International Airport access road.
The funding for that project would go toward preliminary engineering. It’s too soon to talk about a construction timeline, an ODOT spokesman said.
This will be the third time that TRAC has funded phases of project development for the cluster of distribution operations near Dayton International, with this construction phase funding being the final phase, said Andy Shahan, an engineer with the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office.
The overall objective is to improve routes on North Dixie Drive from Inverness Avenue to Lightner Road, Northwoods Boulevard from the Flying J Truck Stop to North Dixie, and Lightner Road from North Dixie to the Chewy fulfilment center, according to the vision for the project.
TRAC typically funds these wide-ranging projects one phase at a time.
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