Quick and easy vehicular access is important to attract and maintain businesses within the West Innovation District. Located just west of I-270, the planning area includes interchanges and arterials that facilitate access to key logistics points, nearby communities and residential areas. The establishment of a well-managed transportation network and access to the I-270 outerbelt makes the West Innovation District a prime location along a developing corridor that has quick access to all areas of the region. Transportation planning for the West Innovation District provides a distinct opportunity for new business, whether as a commuting employee or for freight movement:
- Use road and intersection improvements to enhance traffic movement and reduce conflict points;
- Proactively focus on interchange improvements to maintain quick regional access;
- Plan internal road improvements to most efficiently provide access to sites and maximize business access to interchanges; and
- Create a road network that provides multiple travel options while separating through traffic from surrounding residential areas.
U.S. 33 / SR 161 Interchange Improvements
The City of Dublin has proactively worked to facilitate transportation upgrades in the area to ensure quality access to the West Innovation District. Through the cooperation of the Ohio Department of Transportation in 2005, the City obtained fast-track completion of approved designs for the interchange area. Modifications were made and approved by the State of Ohio in September 2006 to include modern roundabouts instead of signal control at the off-ramps.
Dublin has completed two of three phases for the interchange design. Initial work focused on the relocation of Liggett Road to prepare for the eastern off-ramp. Phase 2 resulted in the relocation of Industrial Parkway to the west and the widening of SR 161 between Eiterman Road and Cosgray Road. This key segment of SR 161 provides the main entrance into the northern edge of the West Innovation District. Completion of these first two phases will provide improved traffic management for the near future.
Reconstruction of the interchange deck and ramps will be the final phase to be programmed. The combination of projects, estimated at nearly $50 million, is the single-largest amount of money Dublin has ever dedicated to a single capital project. The return on this investment is important to the City’s continued financial stability, given growth expectations for the West Innovation District and U.S. 33 Corridor.
I-270 / U.S. 33 Interchange Project
The I-270 / U.S. 33 Interchange is a key regional transportation node important to all of Central Ohio. The interchange is a critical gateway from the northwest and has not been significantly upgraded since its initial construction in the 1960s when Dublin was a rural community of fewer than 700 residents. Today, Dublin is home to over 42,000 residents and an estimated 66,500 employees. The interchange is an important node for commuter and freight movement along the northern outerbelt, and Dublin, Marysville and Union County are collaborating with the Ohio Department of Transportation to rebuild the interchange.
With a total estimated project cost of $45 million, the City is proactively pursuing initial analysis phases and funding to expedite the study, design and approval process. City Council has approved $2.9 million to move forward with Phase I studies for the project. Continued investment in this key transportation project will also maintain and improve access to the West Innovation District in the future.
The Transportation Plan
The Transportation Plan for the West Innovation District builds upon the 2007 Community Plan update and addresses in greater detail the specific character and alignment of internal roads. Significant macro-level transportation modeling based on assumed land use densities as part of the Community Plan ensures that the area’s road network will be able to address traffic levels into the future. Expected densities as part of the land use component of the West Innovation District Plan have not changed in a manner that would negatively impact that analysis.
The plan for future transportation improvements was established to provide a clear internal system of public streets that will result in predictability and enhance development potential for the entire area. The network includes a number of significant elements and alignments that vary from assumptions originally made as part of the City’s 2007 Thoroughfare Plan, although general connectivity remains the same:
- Create an interstate reliever along U.S. 33 to enhance access for commuters and to better separate through-traffic from area neighborhoods;
- Implement a new entrance to Darree Fields to downplay residential portions of Shier Rings Road between Eiterman and Cosgray Roads;
- Establish a more defined entry point into residential areas along Cosgray Road south of the West Innovation District; and
- Create an east-west connection paralleling SR 161 that will provide additional options to access the interchange and link with transit along the railroad.
Street Character and Types
A key component of the Transportation Plan includes the establishment of a road hierarchy with three levels of design and function. Major arterials are expected to be built similar to Emerald Parkway with two travel lanes and a bike lane or shared-use lane in each direction, with a landscaped median. A design speed of 35 to 40 mph is expected to encourage efficiency of movement. Smaller connectors that funnel traffic onto major roads have an expected design similar to that of Eiterman Road through the Ballantrae development. This design includes one travel lane and bike lane in each direction with a landscaped median. Travel is expected to be slower (30-35 mph) based on the character of the street and placement of surrounding buildings. Internal to pockets of development will be neighborhood-level streets that provide on-street parking and cycling with slower speeds (20-25 mph).
Arterials
Design Speed: 35-40
Two lanes of travel each way
Median separation with center left turns
Integrated bike lanes for commuters
Curvilinear multi-use paths/sidewalks for recreational use
Thematic landscaping
Internal Connectors
Design Speed: 30-35 mph
One lane of travel each way
Median separation with center left turns
Integrated bike lanes for commuters
Curvilinear multi-use paths/sidewalks for recreational use
Thematic landscaping
Neighborhood Streets
Design speed: 20-25 mph
One lane of travel each way
Signed bike route for shared use
On-street parking to enhance pedestrian environment
Sidewalks or paths to access businesses
Phasing of Improvements
Phasing of road improvements is key to providing the greatest level of impact. Most critical to the success of the West Innovation District is the ability to enhance the “front door” appearance from SR 161/Post Road. Higher priority segments include the extension of major internal roads through City-owned land southward to open up internal sites for development. Improvements should establish marketable and development-ready sites and should be integrated into capital programming and other financing mechanisms.
Road improvements should continue to the west and south or as additional development warrants following the development of areas near the interchange. In particular:
- Complete links and upgrades to Shier Rings Road to implement a U.S. 33 reliever;
- Improve access to City-owned property at SR 161 and Houchard Road; and
- Upgrade Eiterman Road and create a new entrance to Darree Fields.
Lower priority road segments along the Cosgray Road corridor should be considered along with development proposals.
Incorporating Transit Options
Central Ohio is one of the largest metropolitan regions in the nation and has primarily developed in a low-density suburban form. Significant investment has been placed in the area’s road networks, resulting in relatively low congestion and commute times for Dublin and the region. Dublin’s success as an economic leader in Central Ohio has been, in part, due to its commitment toward planning and proactively constructing major roadway projects to ensure access and mobility.
Dublin’s role as a regional employment center has resulted in reliance on the automobile and only modest transit options focused on larger employers or key regional destinations such as the Columbus Zoo. Population and employment will continue to rise unlike most urban areas within the Midwest despite current transit limitations. Efforts to develop the West Innovation District must include the planning and capability for transit options as opportunities arise. The West Innovation District Transit Plan (below) is a conceptual framework for potential transit routes, mode types and long-term phasing in this area. Additional route analysis and discussion with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) will be required to determine timing and feasibility of expanded transit service. Refer to the Transportation Chapter for more information about public transportation planning in Dublin.
