Worthington Conservation Commission Continues Route 143 Phase 2 Hearing to February

WORTHINGTON -- January 18, 2024, Worthington Conservation Commission continues Route 143 Phase 2 hearing as permits remain unresolved. The commission voted to continue its public hearing on the Notice of Intent for the 3.8-mile, $15-million-plus reconstruction of Route 143 from the Peru town line to Cold Street, with the next session set for February 15, 2024. Project engineer John Morgan of CHA Consulting told the board that supplemental materials responding to comments from the state DEP and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had not yet been formally submitted, and that a new culvert improvement matrix covering 12 stream crossings was still in draft form. The project involves permanent impacts to just under 5,000 square feet of bordering vegetated wetlands and crosses a National Wild and Scenic River at Trout Brook. Residents raised concerns about ledge blasting, tree loss, and guardrail expansion, though commission members noted those issues fall outside the board's wetlands jurisdiction. Written comments are due to the commission by February 8, 2024.