MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—The Marion County Board of Commissioners formally went on record Wednesday opposing a proposed highway bypass connecting US 23 to I-71, citing devastating potential impacts on local farmland and residents.
During a 9:00 a.m. meeting on March 19, Commissioners Kevin Davidson, Andy Appelfeller, and Mark Davis passed a resolution stating they are not in favor of the current proposal presented by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The move follows a series of public meetings where residents expressed overwhelming concern regarding the route, which would cut through Southeast Marion County and into Morrow County.
“We are supporting our residents,” Commissioner Kevin Davidson said. “It would devastate families and farmland throughout Southeast Marion County and Morrow County.”
Davidson noted that while the project is in its early stages—with feasibility studies expected in June—the board prefers sticking to previous 2024 proposals for US 23 improvements rather than the new bypass. The board joins officials in Morrow County who have already voiced similar opposition. ODOT is expected to make a formal determination on the project’s direction by October.