State Route 104 (SR 104) is a north–south highway in Southern Ohio. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 23 (US 23) in Portsmouth, Ohio and its northern terminus is at US 33 in Columbus. The route passes through or close to the towns of Portsmouth, Waverly, Chillicothe, Grove City, and Columbus. From Waverly to Chillicothe, it overlaps US 23.

State Route 104 marker
State Route 104
Route of SR 104 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length95.17 mi[1] (153.16 km)
Existed1924–present
Major junctions
South end US 23 / SR 73 in Portsmouth
Major intersections
North end US 33 in Columbus
Location
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
CountiesScioto, Pike, Ross, Pickaway, Franklin
Highway system
  • Ohio State Highway System
SR 103 SR 105
SR 111SR 112 SR 113
At U.S. Route 23 in Columbus

Though officially a north-south highway for its entire length, SR 104 formerly was signed east-west through Columbus.

History

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SR 104 is an original state highway with two parts: One from Portsmouth to Waverly, and one from Chillicothe to Columbus. The southern part of the route was decertified when U.S. Route 23 was certified in 1926. This southern route was replaced with the now defunct route number State Route 112. In 1951, the southern part of the route was recertified as State Route 104, connecting to the northern part of the route by overlapping U.S. Route 23. The route close to Portsmouth was concurrent with State Route 73.

In March 1951, the Ohio Department of Highways converted an 8 12-mile-long (13.7 km) section of SR 104 south of Columbus into a test strip for traffic signs. It was the first in a series of experiments sponsored by the United Nations in four states and five other countries to compare the effectiveness of national traffic sign standards from around the world. A series of 24 signs from six countries were placed along the road along with distance gauges for 30 test subjects.[2] The department abandoned the experiment four days after it started, after the signs attracted unexpected controversy and curious onlookers who posed a hazard.[3][4] The experiments eventually led to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, which was adopted in many countries but not the United States.

Since 1968, SR 104's northern terminus has been extended twice – to U.S. Route 23 in 1968 and to U.S. Route 33 via freeway in 1989 – and its southern terminus has been extended twice into Portsmouth in 1972 and to U.S. Route 23 in 1974.

In 1998, a section of SR 104, concurrent with SR 73, in Scioto County had its grade raised out of the flood plain to prevent recurring flooding on the roadway in a $3.8 million project.[5]

In 2010, a section of SR 104 north of Chillicothe to SR 207 in Ross County was widened into a four-lane highway. $6.5 million out of the $10.6 million cost to widen were from funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.[6]

Major junctions

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
SciotoPortsmouth0.000.00  
 
US 23 (Chillicothe Street / U.S. Grant Bridge) / SR 73 begins / 2nd Street
Southern end of US 23 southbound / SR 73 concurrencies / Southern end of SR 104 / Eastern end of SR 73
0.110.18  US 23 / Washington StreetNorthern end of US 23 southbound concurrency
Washington Township1.09–
1.82
1.75–
2.93
  
 
 
  US 52 / US 23 Truck south / SR 852 – Cincinnati, Kentucky, Ironton
Interchange; northern terminus of SR 852; no access from SR 104 northbound to US 52 eastbound
2.353.78 
 
 
 
SR 239 south to US 52
Northern terminus of SR 239
Rush Township6.3710.25 
 
SR 73 west – Hillsboro
Northern end of SR 73 concurrency
Morgan Township12.1319.52  SR 348
PikeNewton Township24.2739.06   SR 32 / SR 124 (James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway)
Pee Pee Township28.3445.61 
 
SR 551 west
Eastern terminus of SR 551
29.1046.83 
 
SR 552 west
Eastern terminus of SR 552
Waverly30.3648.86 
 
 
 
 
US 23 south / SR 220 Truck south (Emmitt Avenue) – Portsmouth
Southern end of US 23 / SR 220 Truck concurrency
31.0049.89  
 
 
 
 
SR 220 (Market Street) / SR 335 begins / SR 220 Truck ends
Northern end of SR 220 Truck concurrency; southern end of SR 335 concurrency
31.3550.45 
 
SR 335 south (Clough Street)
Northern end of SR 335 concurrency
RossFranklin Township37.4660.29 
 
SR 372 east – Scioto Trail State Forest
Western terminus of SR 372
Scioto Township43.23–
43.70
69.57–
70.33
 
 
 
 
 
US 23 north / US 23 Bus. begins / CR 205 (Three Locks Road) – Columbus
Interchange; northern end of US 23 concurrency; southern end of US 23 Bus. Concurrency
Chillicothe46.6275.03 
 
US 50 east (Eastern Avenue) / Eighth Street
Southern end of US 50 concurrency
47.1475.86 
 
 
 
 
US 23 Bus. north / SR 159 north (Bridge Street) / Main Street
Northern end of US 23 Bus. concurrency; southern terminus of SR 159
47.5676.54 
 
SR 772 south (Paint Street)
Northern terminus of SR 772
47.9077.09 
 
US 50 west (Western Avenue) / High Street / Carlisle Place – Hillsboro, Cincinnati
Northern end of US 50 concurrency
Scioto Township49.26–
49.43
79.28–
79.55
  US 35Interchange, US 35 exit 110
Union Township52.7784.93 
 
 
 
SR 207 south to US 23
Southern end of SR 207 concurrency
53.2985.76 
 
SR 207 north
Northern end of SR 207 concurrency
PickawayWayne Township66.85107.58  US 22 – Circleville, Washington Court House
Jackson Township68.23109.81  SR 56 – Circleville, London
Scioto Township76.20122.63  SR 316 – Darbyville, South Bloomfield
79.58128.07  SR 762 – Commercial Point
FranklinGrove CityJackson Township
municipal line
83.43134.27  SR 665 – London, Groveport
Columbus89.93–
90.06
144.73–
144.94
89  I-71 / Frank Road – Columbus, CincinnatiExit 104 (I-71)
Southern end of freeway
90.44–
90.65
145.55–
145.89
90Haul Road / Impound Lot Road
90.80–
91.14
146.13–
146.68
91  US 23 (High Street)
91.57–
91.90
147.37–
147.90
92Groveport Road / Parsons Road
92.38–
92.79
148.67–
149.33
93Lockbourne Road
94.19–
94.43
151.58–
151.97
94Alum Creek Road / Performance Parkway / Refugee Road
Northern end of freeway
94.98–
95.17
152.86–
153.16
95 A-B  
 
US 33 to I-70 / Refugee Road – Lancaster
Northern end of SR 104
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b "DESTAPE". Ohio Department of Transportation. July 3, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  2. ^ "Ohioans tell Europe to keep its signs". Mansfield News Journal. United Press. March 27, 1951. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Foreign Road Sign Test Arouses Some Criticism". The Independent. Massillon, Ohio. Associated Press. March 27, 1951. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Road Sign Test for UN Given Up". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. Associated Press. March 30, 1951. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Transcript: The Ohio Department of Transportation Newsletter" (PDF). Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). December 1998. p. 19. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  6. ^ "Ross-104 Project Progressing Toward Completion". Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). June 17, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
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