2018 March April Dublin Chamber News DCCMarchAprilNews18ONLINE | Page 14

For more information about the 33 Smart Corridor , please visit www . 33smartcorridor . com

Ohio ’ s 33 Smart Corridor

Driverless cars on Central Ohio roadways ? It could happen sooner than many realize thanks to a collaborative effort lead by the NW 33 Council of Governments ( COG ) and the Ohio Department of Transportation to transform US-33 into Ohio ’ s 33 Smart Corridor .

The 33 Smart Corridor is a 35-mile highway test corridor between Dublin , Marysville , and East Liberty . This corridor is anchored by automotive assets such as Honda of America , the Transportation Research Center and over 65 automotive companies , representing one of the largest concentrations of automotive companies in Ohio . It is because of this concentration that the US-33 corridor has been identified by the Ohio Department of Transportation as the first of six designated “ smart ” projects aimed at testing realworld autonomous and connected vehicle technologies .
To ensure that the 33 Smart Corridor becomes the nation ’ s longest highway ready for autonomous and connected driving , significant investment in infrastructure upgrades must occur . These investments , which began in 2017 , include the construction of a 39-mile , 432-strand redundant fiber optic network along US-33 and Industrial Parkway , the installation of 62 roadside units , and upgrades to 32 traffic signals in Marysville and Dublin . Additionally , the State of Ohio and The Ohio State University committed $ 45 million for the Phase I expansion of the
Find out more about Ohio ’ s 33 Smart Corridor on Sept . 27 from 7:30 to 9 a . m . with members from the Dublin , Logan and Union County Chambers at the Honda Heritage Center , 24025 Honda Parkway in Marysville .
Transportation Research Center ’ s new 540-acre SMART ( Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test ) Center . The SMART Center is designed to test new technologies and highly automated vehicles in a closed , safe , and secure environment before the vehicles are deployed on public highways . Construction of the SMART Center began in 2017 and is expected to be completed in late-2018 . Todate , over $ 217 million has been pledged by public and private partners in the 33 Smart Corridor .
As the 33 Smart Corridor comes to fruition , the research and development of autonomous and connected vehicles , and smart technologies in Ohio will rapidly expand . Industry leaders and government officials are hopeful that these advancements will benefit the public and business community by improving travel times , increasing highway safety , reducing carbon emissions , optimizing freight delivery , and ensuring that transportation systems are fully accessible and integrated .
For more information about the 33 Smart Corridor , please visit www . 33smartcorridor . com

NextGen Dublin Young Professionals Organization

Go to DublinChamber . org / YPDublin to sign up for a

FREE ONE-YEAR MEMBERSHIP !

We ’ ve planned a variety of events for young professionals , so join us for committee meetings and after-work parties . New members are welcome and encouraged at all NextGen Dublin events .
Upcoming events and activities :
YP Lunch Bunch – March 8 , 11:30 a . m . to 1 p . m . OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital , 7500 Hospital Dr . Dublin
Coffee & Conversations – April 3 , 9 to 10 a . m . Barry Bagels , 5760 Frantz Road , Dublin
Sensitivity Training – April 6 , 7:30 to 9 a . m . WatersEdge Event and Conference Center , 4643 Trueman Blvd ., Hilliard
YP After-Hours Social - April 26 , 5:30 to 7 p . m .
Get involved … have influence … and make a difference .