State Route 101 (SR101) is a southwest-northeast (signed east–west) state highway in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its western terminus is at the junction of SR18 and SR53 in Tiffin; it runs concurrently with SR 18 for about one mile (1.6km). Its eastern terminus is at the junction of U.S. Route6 (US6) and SR4 in Sandusky; it runs concurrently with US6 for just over one and a half miles (2.4km) to its western terminus.
Route description
The highway begins in the county seat of Seneca County, Tiffin, at the intersection of Market Street and Sandusky Street. Sandusky Street carries SR53 north and south through the area while the one way Market Street carries only eastbound traffic for SR18. Eastbound SR18 and SR101 head east along Market Street crossing the Sandusky River and intersecting Washington Street (SR100 / SR231; the latter's northern terminus). At the campus of Heidelberg University, Market Street begins to curve to the northeast reaching an intersection with Perry Street. In downtown Tiffin, Perry Street carries westbound SR18 and SR101 traffic (officially designated SR18-D and SR101-D[1]) while it carries both directions of SR 18 east of the city. After exiting the city, SR 101 heads northeast through mostly farmland with some patches of woodlands and residential clusters. In the northeast corner of the county in Adams Township, SR101 intersects three state highways in close proximity to each other: SR778, SR19, and SR228. SR 778 and SR 228 are shortcuts to SR 19 as SR 19 briefly travels east and west across SR 101.[2]
Soon after entering Sandusky County, SR101 makes a left turn to head due north towards the city of Clyde. Through the city, SR101 first travels along South Main Street. In the center, SR101 turns northeast onto East Maple Street while SR510 continues north along Main Street. The highway intersects US20 inside the city limits but exits soon after. Heading northeasterly again, the road again passes through mainly farmland but single-family homes line the road throughout the rest of its trip through Sandusky County. The highway passes over the Ohio Turnpike (Interstates 80 and 90) without an interchange and intersects SR412 at its eastern terminus. About 0.2 miles (0.32km) east of this intersection, SR101 enters Erie County. At first, SR101 deviates from its northeasterly bearing and travels more northerly before curving to due east following the southern border of Castalia. At a T-intersection with SR269, SR101 turns left onto SR269 passing through a mostly residential neighborhood of the village on Washington Street. After crossing a culvert over the Castalia Pond, the road comes to the central business district of the village. SR101 ends its concurrency with SR269 by turning right onto Main Street. The road heads back to its northeastern bearing and comes to an interchange with the SR2 freeway. About one and a quarter miles (2.0km) northeast of the interchange, just before reaching the Sandusky city limits, SR101 makes a sharp reverse curve towards the north passing through a light industrial area of western Sandusky before reaching an intersection with US6. The official SR101 designation ends at this intersection however signage shows SR101 traveling east along US6 into downtown Sandusky.[1][2] After the aforementioned intersection, US 6 and SR 101 pass over a Norfolk Southern railroad on an overpass and curve to the northeast to travel along Tiffin Avenue. Tiffin Avenue and Washington Street pass mostly through residential neighborhoods until it reaches Washington Park in the center of the city. Signage for SR101 ends at its intersection with Columbus Avenue which also marks the northern terminus of SR4. US6 continues east along Washington Street for another block.[2]
History
SR101 was designated in 1923 following the same Tiffin–Clyde–Sandusky route it follows today.[3] At the time of its designation, the route was a mix of dirt roads, gravel roads, and asphalt-paved roads. The road was fully paved by 1929.[4] In 1932, SR12 was routed along SR101 from what is now SR412 into downtown Sandusky.[5] This configuration would last until the late 1960s when SR12 was truncated and the segment between Fremont and SR101 was redesignated SR412.[6][7]
Near the southern city limits of Sandusky, SR101 formerly traveled on a straight line along Tiffin Avenue where it began a concurrency with US6 at Venice Road and Sanford Street.[8] Because of long-time concerns about a grade crossing with the Norfolk Southern railroad at Tiffin Street and nearby Venice Street (which carried US6 at the time).[9] The project to realign the two highways began in 2010 and was completed four years later.[10]As of June2015[update], the former alignment of SR101 is designated SR101-J (with former alignments of Venice Road being designated US6-C and US6-J); the "J" suffix meant that the route is awaiting abandonment by the Ohio Department of Transportation.[11]
