Findlay and Hancock County officials are excited about what the proposed improvements to the Interstate 75-County Road 99 interchange could mean for the future of the northwest side of Findlay.

“We really view this as a gateway to the community,” said Tim Mayle, director of Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development.

As part of the proposed project, a pedestrian bridge would be built across Interstate 75, from north of Hillcrest Golf Course across to Miracle Park and The Cube.

Mayle says the redone interchange and the pedestrian bridge would really help bring together the recreation opportunities at The Cube, the planned multi-family and mixed-use development by Blanchard Valley Health System in the area and the industrial corridor.

And he says the new interchange and pedestrian bridge would not only make the area safer but also put Findlay and Hancock County on the map as a growing community.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says increased traffic and congestion are resulting in travel delays and above-average crash rates in the area, and if left unaddressed, will only get worse as growth continues.

ODOT is holding an online meeting about the project on Thursday.

The cost of the project would be between $18 and $22 million dollars.

Officials are seeking federal grant money for the project.

Mayle will be on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks on Wednesday morning to discuss the proposed project.

Below is the plan that local officials would like to see, a divergent diamond interchange with a pedestrian bridge to the south.