ODOT seeking public comment on planned U.S. 33 widening in Franklin County

Some big, highway-shaped changes may come to the southeast side of Franklin County.

The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to widen U.S. Route 33 from State Route 104 just southeast of Columbus to Diley Road east of Canal Winchester, according to a project website .

For the next 30 days, ODOT will accept public comments on its webpage for the $128 million project.

Before crews can get to work planning the project, ODOT has to decide how to widen U.S. 33. It's currently considering two plans: one that would widen the highway internally and one that would expand it outward, which would require new right-of-way land.

Both plans would see significant permanent changes to Bixby Road and Rager Road.

Cars will no longer be able to turn left onto Bixby Road from U.S. 33 and Rager Road north of U.S. 33 will lose access to the highway entirely. Cars using Rager Road south of U.S. 33 will be able to turn right onto the highway, and highway drivers in turn will be able to turn right onto Rager.

The project might also force some overnight closures of trails in Big Walnut Creek, according to ODOT.

Construction on U.S. 33 is expected to start and end in summer 2026.

NHart@dispatch.com

@NathanRHart

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ODOT seeking public comment on planned U.S. 33 widening in Franklin County