Johnstown offers that classic “Small Town Americana” feel, but it is currently one of the most talked-about areas in the Midwest.
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The Vibe: Known for its tight-knit community and high school spirit (the Big Red Pride is real!), it’s a place where neighbors still know each other by name.
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The Big Story: With the Intel Ohio project just to the south, Johnstown is evolving. We are seeing new infrastructure, including proposed upgrades to Route 62, which will make commutes to New Albany and Columbus even smoother.
Johnstown is growing very rapidly and changes are being made almost everyday. Here is the latest information!
Here is the breakdown of the plans as of February 2026:
The Big Picture: US 62 Corridor Improvements
ODOT is currently wrapping up the planning phase for a 6.2-mile stretch of US 62 that runs from Smith’s Mill Road (New Albany) up to Clark Drive (Johnstown).
1. Road Widening (The “Boulevard” Concept)
The most significant plan is to transform the current two-lane country road into a four-lane or five-lane divided boulevard.
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The Look: It will likely mirror the “New Albany style”—two lanes in each direction separated by a raised grass median.
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Width: The road footprint could double, expanding from its current 50 feet to over 100 feet wide (and up to 137 feet in certain New Albany sections).
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Multi-Modal: The plans include 10-foot wide shared-use paths on both sides of the road for cyclists and pedestrians, finally connecting the Johnstown trail systems down toward New Albany.
2. Intersection Overhauls
ODOT is evaluating two main “flavors” for the intersections along this 6-mile stretch:
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Option A (Roundabout-Heavy): This could include up to six new roundabouts at key intersections like Clover Valley Road, Tippet Road, and Central College Road to keep traffic flowing without long signal wait times.
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Option B (Signalized): Using traditional traffic lights, which requires less land (right-of-way) but may lead to more congestion as Intel’s 2050 traffic projections come to fruition.
Specific Local Projects (Starting Soon)
The US 62 & SR 37 Intersection (Downtown Johnstown)
A major feasibility study is underway for this specific junction. The goal is to ease the “bottleneck” in the heart of town.
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Status: Public meetings were held in late 2025 to discuss alternatives. You can expect to see definitive designs for this intersection later this year.
Green Chapel Road & US 62
This is a critical “Intel Access” project.
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The Plan: Widening Green Chapel Road to three lanes and realigning the intersection at US 62.
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Timeline: Construction is slated to begin in Spring 2026 and wrap up by the end of the year.
The Market Street Extension (New Albany Side)
This is already substantially complete as of late 2025/early 2026.
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It re-routed traffic via Third Street to provide a direct path from the New Albany Village Center to US 62, bypassing the heavy congestion at the Main/High Street intersection.
