MEIGS COUNTY, Ohio (June 17, 2025) — After years of anticipation, construction is officially underway on a transformative $274 million expansion of U.S. Route 33 through Meigs County. The long-planned infrastructure upgrade aims to improve highway safety and stimulate economic development across southeast Ohio and beyond.

State and local leaders gathered Monday to mark the groundbreaking of the project, which will widen U.S. 33 from two lanes to four across significant sections of the highway. The expansion includes a 10-mile stretch between Athens and Darwin, Ohio, and a 15-mile segment stretching to Ravenswood, West Virginia. The project will also include the construction of 10 new bridges.

Jay Edwards, former state representative for the region, has long championed the initiative, which he says has been a consistent demand from the community.

“The one common consensus I got from the constituents down here in Meigs County was they wanted this highway to be a four-lane. It should’ve been done when they first did the highway 25 years ago, but we’re happy to be celebrating here today. It’s a big day for Meigs County. It’s not everyday you get to celebrate anywhere in Appalachia a $274 million investment,” Edwards said.

The project is funded through Ohio’s “Connect 4 Ohio” program, which focuses on linking rural communities with key commercial hubs across the state.

Rich Oster, Deputy Director of ODOT District 10, explained that the expansion is a necessary response to the rise in commercial vehicle traffic, particularly since the pandemic.

“You know, one thing that’s really almost exploded since COVID is the amount of commercial traffic that’s been hitting our roadways. So, you know, southeast Ohio with the development that’s going on here, and across the river in West Virginia, it’s critical to ensure the safe transportation of commercial trucks up and down our roadways,” Oster said.

Construction is set to begin this week with minimal disruption to traffic. Crews will first add two new lanes on either side of the existing U.S. 33 roadway before resurfacing the current lanes. The full expansion is projected to be completed by 2028.

For the residents of Meigs County and the greater Appalachian region, this project marks not only a long-overdue infrastructure upgrade, but also a major step toward a safer, more connected future.

Originally reported by Blake DeJarnatt in Wowktv.