U.S. 23 interchange connection in southern Wyandot County gets green light for design

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced plans to construct a new interchange at the intersection of U.S. Route 23 and state Route 294 in southern Wyandot County.

"Constructing an interchange at this location is vital to enhancing safety along the U.S. 23 corridor," said ODOT District 1 Deputy Director Chris Hughes. "By controlling access to the divided highway, which has seen increasing traffic volumes, we can significantly improve safety."

The project received funding for the design phase though Ohio’s Major Investments program, paving the way for a potential groundbreaking in 2027, pending construction funding availability.

The interchange is a key component of ODOT’s strategy to reduce serious and fatal crashes on the divided highway.

Once a full interchange is open and operating, ODOT will move to close four at-grade intersections nearby − Township Highway 68, Township Highway 74, Township Highway 72 and Township Highway 65.

A public meeting is slated for late 2024 to gather community feedback on the preliminary design concepts.

In 2021, an effort to reduce the serious and fatal crashes at the intersections in the section of U.S. 23 included a Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) at state Route 294, and access modifications at six other intersections was shelved due to community feedback.