ODOT proposes new interchange at I-271 and I-71

by Melissa Martin

Oct. 17 township trustees meeting

State and Medina County officials are exploring the possibility of constructing a new interchange that would allow motorists to access Interstate 271 north from the southbound lanes of Interstate 71 without having to exit the highway onto state Route 3.

Currently, Trustee Jack Swedyk explained, motorists are able to access Interstate 271 north only from the northbound lanes of I-71 in Medina Township. The proposed interchange would enable motorists traveling in both directions along I-71 to access I-271.

“Doing that would alleviate traffic that comes [through Hinckley Township] along Weymouth,” he said.

Swedyk said ODOT will also explore the possibility of making interchange improvements at I-71 and state Route 3 and I-271 at state Route 94.

A timeline for the projects has not been set.

“This was a very, very preliminary meeting intended to get all the stakeholders on board and get a little bit of feedback from them,” Swedyk said, noting that he will provide information to township residents as it becomes available.

Swedyk said information has recently been posted on the township website, hinckleytwp.org, showing the various builds being considered for the proposed I-71 interchange at Boston Road.

“I will say it’s telling where it’s located, and the impact it may or may not have on the township,” he said.

Additional road projects

Swedyk said the township has recently learned from the Medina County Engineer’s Office that road projects on Valleybrook Oval and Salem Lane have been approved by the county.

The next step, he said, is to submit the paperwork required to receive an Ohio Public Works Commission grant to pay for a substantial portion of the roadwork. The county will file the grant application on the township’s behalf.

Trustee Monique Ascherl reported that the township has heard from ODOT regarding the intersection of state Route 606 and Stoney Hill Road. Ascherl said the board has received numerous requests from residents for additional traffic control devices, at what they consider to be a dangerous intersection.

According to Ascherl, the county conducted a study of the intersection in 2020 and in 2023 and determined conditions do not warrant additional measures at this time.

“They said they will not conduct another study at this time unless something has radically changed at the intersection, which is not the case,” she said. “I tried. I shot and missed.”

Trustees voted to reject bids for the 2023 Bethany Lane road improvement project. Ascherl explained the board previously accepted a bid of $237,270 for the work, however, the board voted to rescind that motion Oct. 17 on the advice of the county prosecutor.

The project will likely be re-bid in the near future, trustees indicated.

Trash hauling

Asherl reported that only 8 % of township residents returned a survey distributed by the township late in summer that sought to gauge satisfaction with the single-hauler form of trash pickup offered in Hinckley.

Of those who responded, she said 70%, or 195 households, indicated they wish to renew a five-year waste hauling contract. The remaining 67 residents who returned the survey said they plan to opt out of the contract.

“I figured everyone who tried to opt out would submit the survey,” Ascherl said. “But only 70 people [have expressed] not being happy with the single-hauler trash contract. … I think that is the overwhelming response we were looking for.”

Swedyk said the numbers surprised him, as well.

“What really surprised me is that I thought the overwhelming number of responses would be [from those who] did not want to remain single hauler,” he said. “But over 70 percent of people who did respond wanted to stay. That was actually very surprising.”

Ascherl said the township plans to bid out the trash hauling contract next summer, noting that Hinckley will maintain a single hauler. ∞