UPPER SANDUSKY, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Transportation has canceled because of local opposition a project that would have modified two intersections along U.S. 23 in southern Wyandot County and closed five others.

ODOT had proposed converting intersections at State Rt. 294 and at County Road 113/Pitt Township Road 124 to Restricted Crossing U-Turn configurations that would have forced all traffic from the side roads to make a right turn onto U.S. 23, then turn around at U-turn location if those motorists wished to complete a left turn or continue on the side road.

State officials said those changes and closing the five other intersections would reduce high-speed crashes at minimal expense — about $2 million apiece for the two revamped intersections. But county leaders favored building a full interchange at Route 294, ODOT said in a statement issued Wednesday, and the department’s safety-program budget could not provide the $14 million to $16 million required to do that.

First Published May 12, 2021, 11:11 p.m.