The Delaware County Transportation Improvement District received a series of project updates and regional grant notices at its November meeting, including timelines for the Sunbury Interchange, grant awards for a rail grade separation and local road grant applications, plus concerns about increasing traffic from new housing and school construction.

Rob, the county engineer’s office staff member who presented the updates, said Phase A of the Sunbury Interchange is showing good progress and that staff still “hope to start right of way acquisition... in early 2026 and, start construction, 2027, hopefully.” He added that Phase C design work is beginning and that topography makes that later phase more complicated, with a potential 2029 construction start.

Rob also reported a $21,000,000 USDOT award for a rail crossing elimination on Orange Road and an $8,300,000 grant from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission that was awarded to the TID (staff said the TID will discuss whether it should hold the construction contract or pass it to the county, ODOT, or another entity). On smaller projects, a $750,000 contribution toward Veil Canyon Road Phase 2 was noted and an OPWC grant was submitted for Stockwell Road.

Board members raised concern about utilities and contractor availability as a consistent cause of delay. “That is, unquestionably the the thing that, dictates project schedule more than anything, how quickly utilities will relocate,” Rob said, describing telecommunications carriers and contractor reallocation after disaster response as particular challenges.

Members also discussed local growth: the Olentangy Local School District’s recently approved bond will fund a new high school on Bunny Station Road and Rob estimated the school could roughly double traffic on the current two-lane roadway, creating a need for frontage improvements and turn lanes. Plum Road, which crosses four townships and is serving new subdivisions (Plum Creek, 91 lots; Miraluna, 159 lots), was identified as another likely candidate for TID assistance as development expands and sewer availability increases.

Staff emphasized these items are at planning or early-design stages; board direction was limited to further discussion and potential future involvement or contract arrangements. The board did not take formal action on these project planning items during the meeting.