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| State Route 674 (Ohio) | |
|---|---|
| State | OH |
| Type | SR |
| Route | 674 |
| Length mi | 14.45 |
| Established | 1937 |
| Terminus a | U.S. Route 23 near Mechanicsburg |
| Terminus b | N of Reynoldsburg at U.S. Route 40 |
| Counties | Pickaway County, Franklin County |
State Route 674 (Ohio) is a north–south state highway in central Ohio. The route connects rural communities in Pickaway County with suburban areas in Franklin County, providing links to U.S. Route 23, Interstate 70, and U.S. Route 40. SR 674 serves commuters, agricultural traffic, and regional freight moving between Columbus and southeastern communities.
SR 674 begins at a junction with U.S. Route 23 near the village of Mechanicsburg in Pickaway County, heading north through farmland toward Franklin County. The highway passes near the community of Lockbourne and skirts the southern edge of the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base complex, intersecting local roads that connect to SR 317 and SR 665. Entering the exurban ring of Columbus, SR 674 crosses I-70 and provides access to commercial corridors that lead toward Reynoldsburg and Groveport. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 40 north of residential subdivisions and near industrial parks tied to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and logistics facilities serving CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway.
The designation for SR 674 was applied in 1937 as part of statewide renumbering efforts under the Ohio Department of Highways administration, later reorganized as the Ohio Department of Transportation. Early maps show the route following existing county roads serving Pickaway County and southern Franklin County agricultural areas, reflecting transportation priorities promoted by federal programs like the New Deal and the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1921. Postwar growth in Columbus suburbs and the construction of I-70 in the 1950s and 1960s increased traffic volumes on SR 674, prompting alignment tweaks and resurfacing projects coordinated with county engineers from Pickaway County Board of Commissioners and Franklin County authorities. In the 1990s and 2000s, redevelopment associated with the Rickenbacker International Airport cargo expansion and logistics trends influenced intersection improvements and right-of-way acquisitions using state and local funding mechanisms tied to Surface Transportation Program allocations.
The corridor includes junctions with multiple numbered highways and notable local arterials: the southern terminus at U.S. Route 23, crossings of SR 317 connectors, an interchange near I-70, proximity to SR 256 links, and the northern terminus at U.S. Route 40. These intersections facilitate connections to SR 161, regional routes serving Pataskala and Lancaster, and freight corridors tied to OhioRail infrastructure. Local intersection control involves collaboration among the Ohio Department of Transportation, municipal governments such as Reynoldsburg and Groveport, and township trustees in Madison Township.
Traffic patterns on SR 674 reflect mixed rural, commuter, and freight usage. Weekend and seasonal peaks correspond with agricultural transport serving county fairs and events at nearby venues, while weekday peaks align with commuting flows to Columbus employment centers including institutions like The Ohio State University and industrial employers such as Rickenbacker International Airport tenants and distribution centers for companies like Amazon and regional carriers. Traffic data collected by the Ohio Department of Transportation shows higher Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) figures near the I-70 interchange and lower counts in rural stretches near Mechanicsburg. Safety considerations involve interactions with agricultural equipment, passenger vehicles, and heavy trucks from carriers including FedEx and UPS operating in the corridor.
Maintenance responsibility for SR 674 falls to the Ohio Department of Transportation, which coordinates pavement preservation, winter operations, and signage conforming with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Recent upgrades have included resurfacing projects, shoulder widening, and signal modernizations funded through state transportation budgets and federal grant programs administered with input from regional planning agencies such as the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Future plans discussed by local officials and ODOT documents contemplate intersection realignments, turn-lane additions to improve safety near developing commercial zones, and potential coordination with Rickenbacker Global Logistics Park stakeholders to manage freight impacts. Historical preservation groups in Pickaway County have engaged on corridor visual impacts related to right-of-way changes near historic farmsteads.
Category:State highways in Ohio Category:Transportation in Pickaway County, Ohio Category:Transportation in Franklin County, Ohio