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Residents press trustees on Thoburn Road safety; board orders engineering tests and seeks partners for repairs
Summary
Residents described increased traffic and speeding on Thoburn Road tied to OSU boathouse, boat club and park access. Trustees authorized Franklin County Engineer Office to perform core sampling and culvert repairs and said they would pursue cost-sharing discussions with City of Columbus and Ohio State University.
Multiple Norwich Township residents raised safety concerns about Thoburn Road at trustee meetings across 2015, pressing the board to take steps after traffic increased following nearby facility changes. Residents cited speeding, a higher volume of recreational traffic, and safety risks for pedestrians and children, and asked for traffic calming or structural changes.
The board engaged the Franklin County Engineer’s Office to evaluate options. At a September 16 planning meeting FCEO presented survey results and recommended core sampling and geotechnical services to determine whether full-depth repair or full-depth reclamation (FDR) would be feasible. Preliminary FCEO estimates ranged from approximately $157,000 (FDR) to $220,000 (full repair), not including engineering fees. Trustees authorized the county to proceed with core sampling and separately approved a smaller, immediate culvert repair (Old Poste Road culvert at Holcomb Ditch) at an estimated $28,986.25.
Trustees said they were unwilling to bear the full cost of a major rebuild without participation from entities that generate substantial non-local use of the road; Trustee Larry Earman asked the board to pursue cost-sharing discussions with the City of Columbus and Ohio State University, while other trustees said they favored making the road safe for the residents who live on it even if large repairs were not immediately feasible. The township also committed to interim measures: additional signage, increased police patrols where possible and follow-up public outreach. Administrator Jamie Fisher was asked to keep residents informed and to coordinate requested traffic counts and engineering updates with county and city contacts.
Residents at the November meeting reiterated safety concerns and proposed options ranging from speed bumps to more restrictive access; trustees responded that certain legal or engineering options (for example, closing the road or creating a cul-de-sac) require further legal review and coordination with county engineers. The board’s immediate actions were limited to authorizing targeted engineering work and exploring funding partners before committing township funds to a full rebuild.
