other municipalities and townships,” Wilson explains. While maintaining these foundational systems, the county has simultaneously pursued transformative projects that reimagine what infrastructure can accomplish. The centerpiece of this strategy is a major interstate renovation that will reshape the county’s transportation landscape for decades.“Currently, we have a major infrastructure rebuild that will take this community forward for the next 30-plus years. It’s called the I-70-71 project, a modernization of all our interchanges running through the heart of Franklin County,” Wilson says. What makes the project distinctive is its integration of green space and commercial development directly into the highway system. “There will be caps with park space blended into them, with the potential to become retail space,” Wilson notes. Such highway caps represent an innovative approach to urban design that mitigates the traditional dividing effect of interstate highways through urban areas. and arts events and certain sports events. That has provided a dedicated funding source,” Wilson notes. The county has also prioritized quantifying the economic impact of cultural investments. “In Franklin County, we’ve been able to gather the facts to prove that arts are economic development, and our corporate community actively participates in supporting our arts,” Wilson adds. This data-driven approach strengthens the case for continued investment by framing arts funding as infrastructure development rather than discretionary spending, helping the sector maintain support even during challenging economic periods. NEXT GENERATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SMART DESIGN Innovation and multifunctionality are at the core of Franklin County’s approach to infrastructure development, particularly in its highway systems and urban planning initiatives.“Through our county engineer’s office, we support all infrastructure—roads and bridges—outside the city of Columbus, as well as 63 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05 FRANKLIN COUNTY, OH
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