US-62 bypass around Alliance & Salem (Columbus, Youngstown: 2009, Home Depot, buy)

[Buckeye in SC]

Why haven't local leaders in these 2 communities pushed harder for this to be completed after 30+ years?? I read stories like these that benefit communities similar in size (Nelsonville & Athens) of US-33 being a 4-lane highway from I-270 to Athens, yet US-62 to Rt. 11 which has been talked about for decades still isn't even in the plans to be constructed. With Alliance & Salem declining so much in recent years, what do they have to lose by making this thing happen??

Final phases of Rt. 33 bypass get going | Columbus Dispatch Politics

[pasharon]

good question??

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

Why haven't local leaders in these 2 communities pushed harder for this to be completed after 30+ years?? I read stories like these that benefit communities similar in size (Nelsonville & Athens) of US-33 being a 4-lane highway from I-270 to Athens, yet US-62 to Rt. 11 which has been talked about for decades still isn't even in the plans to be constructed. With Alliance & Salem declining so much in recent years, what do they have to lose by making this thing happen??

Final phases of Rt. 33 bypass get going | Columbus Dispatch Politics

Whatever remaining business they get by people driving through the center of town.

Usually bypasses are built as a traffic control method. If Alliance and Salem aren't disturbed by pass-through traffic from the highway (and indeed local business may benefit by people stopping along the way), there's no point.

At Alliance's current position, I would say it would be a big negative for them to have a bypass. But that's just a guess.

[South Range Family]

62 is a State route. The money has to come from the State. Money they don't have. It would be pretty hard to justify finishing it when the population and traffic is decreasing.

There is a section North of Salem that was finished about 40 years ago. It is a beautiful divided 4 lane between routes 9, and 14. Nobody ever uses it. It's a great place to run your car flat out for a couple of miles without seeing another car. I mean, if you were inclined to do something illegal like that.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by South Range Family

62 is a State route. The money has to come from the State. Money they don't have. It would be pretty hard to justify finishing it when the population and traffic is decreasing.

There is a section North of Salem that was finished about 40 years ago. It is a beautiful divided 4 lane between routes 9, and 14. Nobody ever uses it. It's a great place to run your car flat out for a couple of miles without seeing another car. I mean, if you were inclined to do something illegal like that.

It's not a state route, it is a "US" route, it goes all the way from El Paso to Buffalo. All 'routes' within a state are funded by that particular state, even interstate construction is ultimately controlled by ODOT in this case.

I agree w/your point that they probably have had trouble getting the funding for this project due to the stagnant/declining population in the Mahoning Valley the past 3 decades. However, it was a project that began as you said 40 years ago w/the intent of completion, you have to wonder how 'new' projects like the US-33 bypass are getting completed ahead of this. I just feel that the local leaders in these communities aren't doing enough to help 'modernize' their cities into the 21st century and help get them on a more level playing field in the global economy.

I have actually driven that stretch you are talking about where it goes from 9 to 14 - like 3 miles - I think one or two cars passed on the other side during the middle of the day! Obviously doesn't get a lot of use, but I would think there is no more than 10 miles or so to complete it from where it ends at 14 to where it ends near Alliance at 225. Even that would be an asset to both communities and I'm sure truck drivers especially would love having that instead of having to drive 2-lane 225 to 2-lane 224 to get to Canfield/Boardman and beyond.

As I thought about it though, it would actually make more sense for ODOT to upgrade 62 from OH-44 to OH-43 in Canton to a more limited access highway/freeway than it would to complete the bypass. Driving that stretch as much as I did while in college and at other times was a pain as it never seemed to fail that you would hit at least half of the lights red.

[South Range Family]

You're right about it being a U.S. route. http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions...cts/D04-07.pdf

I always assumed it was a State route like 7, and 45. Several yers ago I decided to not buy a chunk of land on Garfield Rd. between 46, and 11. It's a quiet country road, but the State owns several acres next to what I was looking at. It is the designated interchange property to connect the 62 bypass with 11. 62 will turn North to Youngstown, but the 4 lane is supposed to continue East along 14 to 51 in Pa. http://www.expresswaysite.com/ohio6.htm

I really don't expect to see it in my lifetime. I live within walking distance to 62. There just isn't that much traffic out here.

[truemuck]

If anything I'd like to see it built as it'd be a good way to get Salem/Alliance traffic out of Canfield. I go to school at Kent-Salem and I take 11 down to 344 as it avoids the mess going through Canfield. Not to mention, the business district along the eastern edge of Salem on 14 where the Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc. aren't easy to access from 11. The stretch of 62 between Salem and Alliance can be a pain if you get stuck behind someone and can't hit any of the lights in Alliance.
As for the stretch east of 11, to 14/51 that you'll never see. 14 east of Columbiana has no traffic to speak of and improving that stretch would divert traffic from the Turnpikes, and the OH and PA Turnpike wouldn't go for that.

[South Range Family]

Truemuck

I can see taking 11 down to 344 to avoid traffic, but going through Leetonia, Franklin Square, and looping back up to 45 seems a bit out of the way.

Have you ever tried Western Reserve to 62, to Lincoln which cuts right through Salem to 45, and the Kent Campus?

I know that Salem has more lights, and a slower speed, but the distance saved should make up for it.

[truemuck]

Originally Posted by South Range Family

Truemuck

I can see taking 11 down to 344 to avoid traffic, but going through Leetonia, Franklin Square, and looping back up to 45 seems a bit out of the way.

Have you ever tried Western Reserve to 62, to Lincoln which cuts right through Salem to 45, and the Kent Campus?

I know that Salem has more lights, and a slower speed, but the distance saved should make up for it.

Tried it, Western Reserve can be just as slow as 224 as plenty of other people use it as a "Boardman Bypass" and with the development out there now, its become a popular commuter route. Not to mention, no place to pass.
I take 344 to Chestnut Grove Rd. and it more or less bypasses Salem completely. 344 goes well to the north of Franklin Square and is a good road west of Leetonia.
I used to take Cunningham Rd, which takes off a couple minutes, but after a month of using that road on a regular basis, I had to replace a tie rod end. That road REALLY needs improvement! Considering it connects Wal-Mart and 45 near the Kent campus and carries a good amount of traffic, it really needs to be a lot better than what it is.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by truemuck

Tried it, Western Reserve can be just as slow as 224 as plenty of other people use it as a "Boardman Bypass" and with the development out there now, its become a popular commuter route. Not to mention, no place to pass.
I take 344 to Chestnut Grove Rd. and it more or less bypasses Salem completely. 344 goes well to the north of Franklin Square and is a good road west of Leetonia.
I used to take Cunningham Rd, which takes off a couple minutes, but after a month of using that road on a regular basis, I had to replace a tie rod end. That road REALLY needs improvement! Considering it connects Wal-Mart and 45 near the Kent campus and carries a good amount of traffic, it really needs to be a lot better than what it is.

You've probably tried taking 165 I imagine as well? There is no exit off of 11, but if you get off at 46, go north about a mile, you can head west on 165 until it hits 62 and then take 45 around Salem to get to the campus. Not sure if it would be any shorter time-wise though than taking 344.