The Route 23 Corridor Project is a public-private partnership seeking to determine the best uses for this historic thoroughfare in Delaware County. A group of Delaware County residents and business owners came together to form a group through the Delaware Community Foundation, an existing 501(c)(3) organization, to raise money for a planning study to evaluate U.S. Route 23 in Delaware County.
Once those private funds were raised, they selected MKSK, a planning consultant out of Columbus. The study was completed in October 2019 and you can read it by clicking HERE. The objectives of the study were to create a shared vision, identify critical infrastructure improvements, craft scenarios to compare and prioritize alternative transportation and land use patterns to visualize infrastructure improvements and to recommend actionable strategies to address the prior objectives.
MKSK looked closely the County’s demographics, traffic patterns, existing land uses, existing development, employment and workforce data. From that, MKSK put together a strategic guide with numerous strategies, projects, area plans and action steps.
Once completed, One Delaware shared the study’s findings with Delaware County. As one of the main stakeholders, Delaware County is helping to evaluate the study’s recommendations and determine which can and should be implemented.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story behind the Route 23 Corridor Study?
A group of local business owners and residents came together to create a group in conjunction with the Delaware Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, to raise money and hire a planning consultant to evaluate U.S. Route 23 in Delaware County. That group is called One Delaware (but was formerly known as Delaware Now).
People involved with One Delaware noticed that the corridor lacked a sense of place and consistency in terms of development. With the residential boom, the group wants to give the communities along the corridor a bigger voice in how the corridor develops.
What is Delaware County’s role in the Route 23 Corridor Study?
Although the study wasn’t conducted by the County, the Commissioners recognized that the County is one of the biggest stakeholders in the future of U.S. Route 23. Therefore, County staff is engaged in bringing other major stakeholders and residents together to aid in implementation and vision. The County has contributed to hiring consultants to further evaluate the perceptions of the corridor by stakeholders and residents.
Will recommendations from the study remove local control in zoning?
No, the recommendations about zoning that resulted from the initial study are intended to empower communities and encourage them get more involved in the planning and development process along U.S. Route 23.
How was the study funded?
One Delaware, a group comprised of local business owners, land owners, and residents, raised money to hired planning consultant MKSK to conduct the study.
How is the current project being funded?
The Delaware County Finance Authority and the Delaware County Economic Development (a department under the Board of County Commissioners) partnered to hire Guide Studio, a branding consultant, to gather information about the current perception of the U.S. Route 23 Corridor in Delaware County.
How are you getting public input?
One Delaware and County officials have presented the study to communities in public meetings and the County has posted a survey for residents and other constituents who use U.S. Route 23 on a regular basis.
What is the primary goal of this project?
The goal is to allow government entities to hear from residents, businesses and frequent users of the U.S. Route 23 Corridor about their current perception of U.S. Route 23 and what they would like to see it develop in the future.