CHILLICOTHE, OH — The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) – District 9 addressed local concerns on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 5:28 PM EDT, clarifying that no roundabout is planned for Bridge Street in Chillicothe, contrary to rumors. Instead, a roundabout will be constructed on River Trace as part of a broader safety and infrastructure project along the S.R. 159/Bridge Street corridor, stretching from Riverside Street to the Chillicothe Mall.
The $17.7 million project, fully funded following a $7.1 million commitment by ODOT’s Transportation Review Advisory Council in March 2023, aims to reduce congestion, improve safety, and enhance infrastructure. Key improvements include adding a northbound lane from Stewart Rd. to north of Pawnee Rd., a southbound drop lane to the US 35 west ramp, a new access road (Marietta Rd.) behind Applebee’s and Raising Cane’s, a shared-use path and sidewalks, and a roundabout at Consumer Center Drive. The project also involves reconfiguring the Stewart/Consumer Center intersection, realigning the US 35 interchange ramps, replacing interchange pavement with new 9” concrete, upgrading traffic signals at seven intersections, and adding aesthetic enhancements.
Prompted by high crash rates—particularly rear-end collisions—between 2014 and 2018, the project follows a feasibility study in May 2020, stakeholder meetings in November 2020, and public outreach in 2021. Traffic maintenance plans include keeping 2-3 northbound lanes open during phases 4-6, with southbound lanes detoured except for the westbound ramp to US 35, while earlier phases will maintain traffic in both directions.
For more details, residents can visit ODOT’s project page.
