Traffic coming off U.S. 33 west will have new ramps to use. The ramp going north has been reconfigured, as has the separate ramp for traffic wanting to go south. A traffic light is being installed at the end of the southbound ramp to help that traffic enter the road.
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This mini roundabout at the intersection of Mill Road and Northwoods Drive was completed recently. The roundabout was part of a three-phase project to improve traffic flow in the area along state Route 31 north of U.S. 33 in Marysville.
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Work is nearly finished on the second of three phases of improvements on Route 31.
Public Service Director Jeremy Hoyt said the second phase of the project which includes relocation and realignment of the westbound U.S. 33 ramp, extension of both Northwoods Drive and Cobblestone Way and construction of a mini roundabout is about 90% complete. He said the city still needs to add some lights and signaling, though he anticipates that being finished, “by the end of November.”
Hoyt said that in addition to actual roadway construction, the project will “convert this more into urban streets, more walkable and more aesthetically pleasing” by adding mast arm traffic signals and concrete curbs along with sidewalk on one side of the street and an asphalt shared use path.
Traffic coming on U.S. 33 west that wants to go south on Route 31 will be able to use a separate ramp that will have a traffic signal at the end. That signal will be south of the current slip ramp from U.S. 33 to Route 31.
The project’s first phase primarily included the construction of an additional northbound and southbound lane on Route 31 from Mill Road to Millwood Boulevard.
The third phase will include the construction of an additional southbound lane on Route 31 from the U.S. 33 bridge to Amrine-Mill Road as well as the reconfiguration of the Elwood Avenue/Maple Street intersection. The city will continue the addition of mast arm traffic signals, concrete curbs, sidewalks and the asphalt shared use path.
Officials said the project is necessary for a variety of reasons including congestion on southbound Route 31 during peak morning hours and a lack of left turn lanes on Route 31 north of Amrine Mill Road. Hoyt said Marysville High School and Early College High School traffic add to congestion.
The city was recently awarded $2 million from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Small City Program to help finish the project.
Including the new grant, the ODOT program has contributed more than $5.4 million, about 51.4%, of the total project cost. The Ohio Public Works Commission has contributed $1.05 million to the $10.54 million project.
Hoyt has said the small city grant program, “has been a very valuable funding source for the city.”
The city has been and will be responsible to cover the remaining nearly $4.7 million.
Hoyt said that when school is in session, the intersection “really backs up.” He said the project will “help deal with some of that pressure.”
The public service director said that because the city is still working on the project’s second phase, the third phase will likely not begin until 2024. He said planning for Phase 3 is “very, very preliminary.”
Hoyt said the city is in the early phase of selecting a consultant for Phase 3. He said the consultants should be hired “in early 2021 because I know that is in the budget for next year.”