Jack Marchbanks, Ohio Department of Transportation Deputy Director District Six, and project staff presented updates to Delaware County Commissioners on the new southern interchange of Interstate 71.

The group said the $162.6 million multiphase project will begin this year and go through 2035.

Marchbanks addressed the importance of ODOT’s responsibility for the highways and interstates and how vital they are for the life, mobility and economic development of Delaware County.

“We have tremendous assets, but we have tremendous needs,” he said. “Part of what we have to do as a team at District Six is to make sure we are creative, agile and responding to our very significant transportation needs. I think what we have been doing thus far with the US 36/37, I-71 project epitomizes creativity and agility.”

The ODOT project team said environmental studies are to start this spring with construction of a partial interchange starting in 2018. Once the project is completed in 2035 a new road will connect from the west side of I-71 at Africa Road and US 36/37 down through to the new southern interchange on east to US 36/37.

The name of the new road will be Sunbury Parkway.

Commissioner Jeff Benton said the new southern interchange looked much like Polaris Parkway.

In other business Monday morning, Sheriff Russell Martin, traveling with a group of family and friends, introduced two newly promoted sergeants in his office to commissioners.

Martin said the two sergeants are familiar faces throughout the county.

“As I told this board before, if we are successful as an office, it’s because we hire and promote the right the people,” he said. “Since my election we’ve put a very thorough vetting process in place, not only for hiring but for promotions too.”

Martin said the two new sergeants are a result of that process. “They have earned the opportunity to be sergeants in the Delaware County Sheriff’s office,” he said.

Sergeant Ron Vogel is an 18-year veteran with the Delaware County sheriff’s office. “He has well earned his stripes simply with the time he has been here,” Martin said.

Sergeant Dan Yarnell is a lifelong resident of Delaware County, a graduate of Olentangy High School and a four-year veteran of the US Marine Corp.

Martin said both men are former School Resource Officers.