Delaware County developers want to see another exit from I-71 | The...

Burton said ODOT is requesting $5 million for the environmental study, which could take up to two years

The county is seeking bidders for a $40,000 economic-impact study. Before any infrastructure goes in, officials want to know what the payback will be

Separate from the interchange is a $4.5 million safety project, also to be completed by ODOT, that would begin in 2012 and include consolidating business driveways, putting up a barrier wall on Rts. 36 and 37 and adding turning lanes.

One major potential project is a soccer training facility to be used in part by the Columbus Crew. The facility could have up to 14 fields and bring in 500,000 visitors a year, all traveling through that interchange. Delaware is one of several areas looking to draw the Crew to a taxpayer-funded facility that the team then would lease.

....The laqst paragraph says it all......"taxpayer-funded facility".....

"Burton said ODOT is requesting $5 million for the environmental study, which could take up to two years." "The county is seeking bidders for a $40,000 economic-impact study."

The Columbus Crew already has a fairly new training facility in Obetz, off Alum Creek Drive. Looking at a map, I see the only road that crosses Alum Creek Reservoir is Cheshire Road, a small 2 lane road incapable of handling 500,oo cars. I wonder how I could get in on some of that $5 million study.

Topper, dude, it's all taxpayer funded. We pay the interest on the money the feds borrow from the Chinese.

raise taxes

If developers want this then they should pay for the interchange, new connecting roads and related infrastructure. The rule should be, developers build the new roads and sewers and then the state, county and townships will maintain them. The tax payers should not build these so others can make their fortunes...........that's how Orange Township does it..........

If the developers want a new interchange, let THEM pay for it. They are the ones who will benefit from it, not us. Boondoggle!

As long as they're going to throw money around, include a bypass around the east end of Delaware to Hwy 23 North. Throw a lot of money at it, use Eminent Domain to bulldoze any protesters and name it after whichever governor is in office when it's completed.

Let the developers pay for this if they want it so badly!

More money for the developers (build an interchange and watch zoning go out the window).
More accidents in a new prone-zone.(You know the interchange won't be adequately planned or funded.)
Watch this "job-creation" business. Many times a job "created" in one place means a job "lost" in another place. Figures may not lie, but liars do figure!
Do we really need all this extra congestion? Perhaps the money intended to be spent on the interchange and approaches for at least 5 miles around could be better spent improving transportation in around the other interchange.
We're already talking big bucks.$40,000.$5 million,$114 million, and the inevitable cost overrun and then fixing improper cost cuts during construction. Talk about 3C costs? This interchange is unsustainable and cannot pay for itself.
It is all about the developer community.

Actually the developers are paying the majority of the cost, just so ya know.

FreeloaderFred wrote:

More money for the developers (build an interchange and watch zoning go out the window).
More accidents in a new prone-zone.(You know the interchange won't be adequately planned or funded.)
Watch this "job-creation" business. Many times a job "created" in one place means a job "lost" in another place. Figures may not lie, but liars do figure!
Do we really need all this extra congestion? Perhaps the money intended to be spent on the interchange and approaches for at least 5 miles around could be better spent improving transportation in around the other interchange.
We're already talking big bucks.$40,000.$5 million,$114 million, and the inevitable cost overrun and then fixing improper cost cuts during construction. Talk about 3C costs? This interchange is unsustainable and cannot pay for itself.
It is all about the developer community.

This interchange will work inconjunction with the existing one, which is failing right now and cannot be improved upon its current existance and design.

no more freeway exits until you deliver passenger rail!

Yay - more congestion and ugly strip malls so a few out of county developers can get stinking rich while sucking at the taxpayer teat. Meanwhile, county residents get the priveledge of sitting in a lot of traffic and congestion.

If your idea of quality of life is a lot of restaurants and stores all selling pretty much the same stuff (see Polaris Parkway), then you probably think this is a great idea.

Parasite Government wrote:

Yay - more congestion and ugly strip malls so a few out of county developers can get stinking rich while sucking at the taxpayer teat. Meanwhile, county residents get the priveledge of sitting in a lot of traffic and congestion.
If your idea of quality of life is a lot of restaurants and stores all selling pretty much the same stuff (see Polaris Parkway), then you probably think this is a great idea.

The developers are paying a good chunk of the cost to make this project happen. And do you have any proof that strip malls are the plan, or is that just an assumption?

glenn wrote:

<quoted text>
The developers are paying a good chunk of the cost to make this project happen. And do you have any proof that strip malls are the plan, or is that just an assumption?

Define "Paying for it". A TIF is nothing but taking taxpayer money and giving it to developers after politicians window dress it. I seriously doubt any local residents want a taxpayer supported training facility, nor a sports facility that brings it tons of traffic on weekends. If people outside of the community come, the ugly strip malls, fast food, etc. naturally follows. If you don't nip it in the bud, it is all over, and you may as well start looking for a place further away from Columbus.

Nobody moved to Delaware County in order for it to become just like the place they left. We have been fighting with the same issues in Genoa Township - most residents like the peace and quiet of a 90% rural residential township, but most politicians listen to money and developers more than residents.

Delaware County along I-71: Nice Today. Will resemble Morse & 161 in about 15-20 years.

people wanna talk about government waste and "poorly spent tax dollars..."

let's talk about SUBSIDIZING the suburbs and the people who insist on living there.

glenn wrote:

<quoted text>
The developers are paying a good chunk of the cost to make this project happen. And do you have any proof that strip malls are the plan, or is that just an assumption?

I have been watching this in the commissioner meetings. The developers have agreed to shoulder the majority of the burden for the studies, and the work. The money is not coming from the tax payers, but the developers. And I have heard no discussion of strip malls. So far it is just people who think they know what is going on, and will complain about their misunderstandings. Don't take these topixs folk too seriously, they won't actually do anything about it. They are just a bunch of armchair quarterbacks.

The title of the article says it all...."Delaware County Developers......" It's a shame the residents, voters and taxpayers have so little say in what happens to their neighborhoods. It's all about the money for the Rhino's that run the county. Gee, Delaware County is getting ready to borrow the money for Sawmill, on the one hand, but the developers are going to pay for I-71 improvements? I doubt it. This is more smoke and mirrors. The residents will pay for it in the end, and the developers will get rich from it. The so-called American way.

Watch for Hanks to land a job on the development side of things, and make his money. I wonder how much will slide under the table from the property owners south of the airport into Hanks's pocket?
He doesn't care about ethics now, wait, watch and see the man behind the curtain get rich.

Politics is a seamy businesss in Delaware, and honest men need a shower after dealing with our elected officials.