A.B. Graham, a Champaign County native, was an agricultural educator in Ohio who founded the 4-H youth development program in 1902.
This beautification of the road and interchange in his honor will include enhanced landscaping, plaques, and other hardscape features honoring both Graham and 4H, according to the city.
There are no sketches of the project yet, as the city is still working toward the design of the project. That design is expected to be finished in the fall of 2024, and the completion of this project is now set for the end of 2025.
“We do have an A.B. Graham building and an A.B. Graham statue, but this will bring more focus to the south side of the city,” said State Rep. Bernard Willis. “I think it’s a highlight to the southern corridor and to highlight the fact that Springfield is the home of 4H.
The city received $750,000 from a previous state capital budget process, making $1.5 million total available for the city to use for this I-70/72 interchange project.
The effort to beautify the I-70-Ohio 72 interchange has been going on for at least eight years, as the News-Sun reported in 2016 that local leaders were seeking $3 million in federal funds to create a themed interchange there. At the time, city officials said it would improve safety and beautify one of the city’s most important gateways.
Willis cited concerns about the capital budget process, saying the memorial was not considered the highest priority financial request, as the city was trying to get money for the Sports and Wellness Center in Springfield.
That indoor sports facility for downtown Springfield took a significant step closer to reality with July’s passage of the state budget, which included the $4 million for the Champion City Sports & Wellness Center.
“It’s been really sad that the entire process has been broken in asking for this money,” Willis said, “it was definitely not in the order that we originally asked for.”
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