A review meeting was held at ODOT’s District 8 office September 22 to provide comments back to the project consultant, Resource International, on recent submissions. Representatives from ODOT Central Office have accepted the narrative describing the process of preferred alternative selection, and have authorized the scheduling of concluding study steps. These consist of the final meeting (for this phase of the project) of the Stakeholders group and the Public Information meeting. The Stakeholders will meet at 2:00 p.m. October 16 to make the preferred alternative selection, which will be presented to the public October 23 at both 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. After a two-week period for written public comment, the final report for the Five-Step Planning Process will be submitted to ODOT and FHWA. Public acceptance of the preferred alternative will allow the commencement of the required Interchange Modification Study and concurrent in-depth environmental analysis and completion of the necessary aerial mapping.

ODOT’s I-75 Corridor Technical Coordinating Group continues activity to ensure that travel demand projections arising from each of the I-75 interchanges under study or design are consistent. Although the proposal for an interchange at Greentree Road is dormant, proposed modifications to the SR 129, SR63 and SR122 interchanges have inter-related effects that need to be accommodated. Resource International has submitted all necessary information to ODOT’s consultant, Burgess & Niple, to resolve demand forecasting methodology at the I-75/Tylersville Road Interchange, the last coordination item remaining.

The selected consultant firm KZF has reviewed and returned the proposed contract for engineering services for this project. There are several items remaining to be resolved. Prior to concluding the agreement, a meeting will be scheduled among all parties to ensure that any concerns are addressed. Following execution, KZF will have 24 months to complete the environmental and final design work. OKI funding for right-of-way acquisition becomes available in FY 2005 and construction funding in FY 2006.

LJB, Inc. is proceeding with the intersection redesign plans, which are anticipated to be available at the end of the year. A meeting has been scheduled for October 15 at which LJB will present the status of plan development to all of the funding parties and interested agencies. Discussions continue with Liberty Township regarding the acquisition of the necessary right-of-way. A meeting was held October 3 with Butler County on construction funding mechanisms using the Township’s TIF revenue stream.

The Scope of Services for Environmental Analysis was posted on the TID’s website with a September 5, 2003 deadline. This work includes the environmental analysis for the Bobmeyer Road Extension, and will also provide the necessary documentation to seek from ODOT permission to link the Extension to SR4 Bypass. The SR4 Bypass Committee met September 10 at the Butler County Engineer’s Office to review the proposals. There were two submissions. The Committee decided to ask apparent low bidder M-E Companies to make a presentation on their understanding of the project, their approach to the necessary work elements, and the project timeline. That meeting is scheduled for October 7. A final recommendation will be made to the TID Board at the October 13 meeting.