U.S. 33 Ravenswood Connector

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1 U.S. 33 Ravenswood Connector Project History When I-77 was planned to pass less than five miles east of Ravenswood, West Virginia in Jackson County, officials began taking steps to acquire an Ohio River bridge for their town. The overall plan included convincing Ohio to build a tributary highway linking U.S. 33 in Meigs County with the bridge and I-77 just beyond. This would then become the shortest route for travel between the two state capitals of Charleston and Columbus. In the mid 1960s, a formal committee, comprised of elected officials and citizens from both sides of the Ohio River, formed to lobby for the bridge and the new highway. In the mid 1970s, the Governor of West Virginia agreed to the bridge. It took four years to build at a cost of $18.6 million and was dedicated on October 31, 1981, officially named the William S. Ritchie Jr. Bridge after a former state highways commissioner. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) initiated preliminary studies for a new highway in The proposed project which resulted from the studies was designated MEG-124 by ODOT, since Ohio 124 was the longest existing route within the study area. The general public called the proposed road the Ravenswood Connector. In 1992, Ohio s Governor placed great emphasis upon highways as a tool for economic development, especially in the Appalachian area of the state. Aided by ODOT s long range plan for transportation improvements, called Access Ohio, the Ravenswood Connector was placed on the fast track. Access Ohio pledged the completion of major corridors throughout the state, including the U.S. 33 corridor between Columbus and the Ohio River. As preliminary studies led to extensive studies, possible alignments were adjusted to minimize environmental impacts and reduce construction costs to

2 build the 18 and ½ miles of new highway to connect U.S. 33 in the Rock Springs/Pomeroy area of Meigs County with the bridge at Ravenswood and I-77. In 1994, a two and ½ mile section of the proposed Connector, from Rock Springs to Five Points, was separated from the Connector s original 18 and ½ miles to stand as a project in its own right. This was accomplished because, in addition to being the first phase of the Connector, this two and ½ mile stretch of road was also the last phase of the Ohio 7 bypass of Pomeroy, which was built in the 1960s. Built as a four-lane, it was finished in 1996 and the western end of the proposed Ravenswood Connector changed to Five Points.

3 Important Dates December 8, 1999 The final public hearing for the Connector, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is held. March 28, 2000 The Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) approves the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Connector. August 1, 2000 FHWA issues its Record of Decision (ROD) showing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to the environment, thus giving the go ahead for the project to be constructed. May 11, 2000 Ohio s Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC), the governing body that decides which of the state s high cost transportation projects get funded, approves construction funding for the Connector. May 17, 2001 A ground breaking is held to commemorate the start of Phase 1 of the Connector and other projects to upgrade the US 33 Corridor. December 23, 2003 A ribbon-cutting was held with hundreds in attendance, and the highway was opened to traffic. Purpose and Need Construction of the Ravenswood Connector has a two-fold purpose, to provide access and mobility to an under-served area of Appalachia and to provide relief from substandard roadways (narrow, winding two-lanes with no room for shoulders; uncontrolled accesses with township and county rods, as well as private drives; inadequate site distances for stopping and passing). Changes to the Highway System The new highway is a Super 2-lane on a four lane right-of-way. The Super 2 provides limited access, with turn lanes and wide shoulders (basically, it is half of a modern freeway). However, during construction, embankment and drainage work was done to accommodate a four-lane, so that in the future, the costs to build additional lanes will be minimized. The Connector has been designated U.S. 33. Related Projects U.S. 33 Athens to Darwin Connector 13 miles of Super 2 on a new alignment. $73 million.

4 Completed: October 2004 U.S. 33 Rocksprings Interchange Allows continuous movement of U.S. 33 traffic at the junction of Ohio 7. $7.6 million. Completed: August U.S. 33 Nelsonville Bypass The first phase is currently under construction and includes the excavation of 3.5 million cubic yards of earth and rock. $22.5 million. Completion: October The second and third phases are scheduled for construction in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Design Details

5 Phase 1 Designed by: ODOT District 10 Production Department.; Alan Craig, project manager Construction Contractor: Beaver Excavating, Canton Cost: $22.23 million Length: Six and ½ miles, from the bridge to the junction of County Road 36 (Portland Road) and SR 124 near Racine Construction started: May 2001 Completion date: July 2003 Includes: Four intersections and two bridges Phase 2 Designed by: McCoy and Associates, Akron Contractor: Kokosing Construction, Columbus Cost: $15.4 million Length: Four miles, from Five Points to the Morningstar area near Racine Construction started: June 2001 Completion date: November 2003 Includes: Two intersections and two bridges Phase 3 Designed by: Korda-Nemath, Columbus Opening of contractor bids: Expected late summer or early fall, 2001 Length: Four and ½ miles, filling in the gap between Morningstar and Portland Road Construction started: Summer 2001 Completion date: December 2003 Includes: Two intersections and one bridge The Benefits The U.S. 33 Ravenswood Connector, and other U.S. 33 Corridor projects, help to provide access and mobility to southeast Ohio. Better access means a greater opportunity for economic development. In addition, safety along this corridor has been greatly improved.