Ohio State Route 118 (SR 118) is a long north–south
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in western
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, connecting the cities of
Greenville and
Van Wert. SR 118 runs northward through
Darke,
Mercer
Mercer may refer to:
Business
* Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925)
* Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City
* Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader, ...
and
Van Wert counties, starting from a
roundabout
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The New Shorter Oxford En ...
with
SR 49,
SR 571,
SR 121 and
SR 502 in Greenville. The route crosses through the farming villages of
Ansonia,
St. Henry,
Rossburg and
Ohio City as well as the villages of
Coldwater and
Rockford. Just north of Rossburg, SR 118 serves
Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway (nicknamed "The Big E", "Auto Racing's Showcase Since 1954," and "The World's Greatest Dirt Track") is a high-banked clay dirt oval. Located north of Rossburg, Ohio in the village of New Weston, Ohio, it features permanent and ...
, a
clay oval racetrack owned by
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
driver
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), nicknamed Smoke, is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, current NASCAR team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, and current co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience. He is a ...
. The northern terminus of SR 118 is at a junction with
U.S. Route 127
U.S. Route 127 (US 127) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the eastern half of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at US 27 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The northern terminus is at Interstate 75 (I-75) near G ...
in the city of Van Wert.
Route description
Darke County
SR 118 begins at a
roundabout
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The New Shorter Oxford En ...
with
SR 49 (South Broadway),
SR 121 (East Main Street),
SR 502 (West Main Street) and
SR 571 in the city of
Greenville. After the roundabout, SR 118, SR 49 and SR 571 are concurrent along South Broadway, a two lane commercial street through Greenville . The moniker changes to North Broadway near the junction with East Water Street, passing south of
Treaty of Greenville State Park. Just to the northwest of the park, SR 49 and SR 571 turn west along North Main Street while SR 118 turns north on North Broadway. After North Main, the route is a two-lane residential street, passing numerous housing complexes on each side of the roadway. North of Harke Drive, SR 118 leaves the city of Greenville.
Now in the rural sections of
Darke County
Darke County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 51,881. Its county seat is Greenville. The county was created in 1809 and later organized in 1817. It is named for William Darke, an officer in the ...
north of Greenville, SR 118 continues north, crossing
County Road 33 (CR 33, named Children's Home–Bradford Road). For several miles, the route passes farms, paralleling a railroad line to the north into the
village of Ansonia. In Ansonia, SR 118 gains the South Main Street moniker, becoming a two-lane residential street through the village, crossing a railroad line in the center of the community. Several blocks north of the railroad tracks, SR 118 meets an intersection with
SR 47 (Canal Street). The route then crosses the
Stillwater River and its north fork, which marks the northern end of Ansonia. SR 118 continues north through the farms of Darke County, crossing the North Fork of the Stillwater River once again just south of a junction with
CR 94 (Brown Road).
SR 118 and the North Fork now parallel each other, continuing north through the county. After a junction with
CR 38 (Brock–Cosmos Road), SR 118 enters the village of
Rossburg, gaining the moniker of South Main Street for a block. SR 118 through Rossburg is a two-lane residential street running north–south through the village. Similar to Ansonia, SR 118 crosses over the North Fork of the Stillwater and leaves Rossburg. North of Rossburg, SR 118 returns to the rural region of Darke County, crossing several county routes before crossing the
Wabash River
The Wabash River ( French: Ouabache) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 13, 2011 river that drains most of the state of Indiana in the United States. It flows fro ...
. Just after crossing the Wabash River, the route passes the entrances to
Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway (nicknamed "The Big E", "Auto Racing's Showcase Since 1954," and "The World's Greatest Dirt Track") is a high-banked clay dirt oval. Located north of Rossburg, Ohio in the village of New Weston, Ohio, it features permanent and ...
,
a 1/2 mile
clay oval race track owned by
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
driver
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971), nicknamed Smoke, is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, current NASCAR team co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, and current co-owner of the Superstar Racing Experience. He is a ...
.
After Eldora Speedway, SR 118 continues north through
Allen Township, passing just east of the village of
New Weston
New Weston is a village in Darke County, Ohio, United States. The population was 136 at the 2010 census.
New Weston is home to the Eldora Speedway, a half-mile clay oval race track.
History
New Weston was founded in the 1880s during the constr ...
. In Allen Township, SR 118 reaches an intersection with
SR 705 (Main Street), which serves as the main street through New Weston. The route continues north from SR 705 through Allen Township, bending northeast near Gibson Road and bypassing the village of
Burkettsville. Along this northeastern stretch of SR 118, the route junctions with the eastern terminus of
SR 319 (Mercer Darke County Line Road). After SR 319, SR 118 crosses the county line from Darke County to
Mercer County and turns northward through the farmlands.
Mercer County
Now in
Granville Township, SR 118 remains rural for several miles, before crossing an intersection with Beckman Avenue. At Beckman Avenue, SR 118 crosses into
St. Henry, gaining the moniker of South Eastern Avenue, passing
St. Henry High School and a junction with
SR 119. SR 118 continues north through St. Henry, becoming a two-lane village street through the community, which the route leaves near Carthagena Road. Continuing north, the route crosses through the community of Pilothea, a small farming area north of St. Henry. About a mile north of Pilothea, SR 118 gains the name of South Second Street and crosses into the village of
Coldwater. Through Coldwater, SR 118 is a two-lane residential street, reaching a junction with
SR 219 (Main Street) in the center of the village. A block to the north, the route crosses a railroad line and leaves the village near Bell Road.
SR 118 continues north through
Jefferson Township as a two-lane residential and rural roadway. Several miles north of Coldwater, SR 118 reaches a junction with
SR 29, where SR 118 and SR 29 become concurrent, turning westward for several blocks. After SR 118 turns north from SR 29, it continues through Jefferson Township for several miles of farmland. Passing through the small rural community of Tama, the route enters
Hopewell Township and crosses an intersection with
SR 707. A couple miles north of SR 707, SR 118 crosses into the village of
Rockford, becoming a two-lane residential street through the village. Just north of the junction with Sugar Street, the route meets with
US 33, which turns north along SR 118.
![US 127S at OH 118](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/US_127S_at_OH_118.jpg)
US 33 and SR 118 continue north through Rockford, becoming the main street through the village. At the northern end of Rockford, US 33 turns west towards the
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
state line, while SR 118 continues north through the northern reaches of Mercer County, crossing a junction with the western terminus of
SR 117. Running along a northeastern stretch of roadway, SR 118 runs through a rural section of
Dublin Township before crossing the line from Mercer County to
Van Wert County
Van Wert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,931. Its county seat is Van Wert. The county was created in February 12, 1820 and later organized on March 18, 1837. It is named for I ...
. Now in
Liberty Township, SR 118 remains a two-lane rural roadway, crossing a four-way junction with
SR 81. Less than a mile north of a junction with Township Highway 36, SR 118 crosses into the village of
Ohio City.
Van Wert County
In Ohio City, SR 118 crosses northeast through the village as South Shanes Street, a two-lane residential street through the center. Just north of Railroad Street, the route crosses the former
right-of-way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
for the
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake Erie ...
, several blocks west of the former
station site. At the railroad junction, SR 118 also crosses the western terminus of
SR 709 (West Carmean Street). Just north of Lambert Street, SR 118 leaves the village of Ohio City. After Ohio City, SR 118 continues northeast through Liberty Township, turning northward at a junction with
CR 70 (Wren Landeck Road). Now in
Pleasant Township, SR 118 turns northeast again, cutting through farmlands before gaining the moniker of South Shannon Street as it reaches the city of
Van Wert.
Now in Van Wert, the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of the namesake county, SR 118 becomes South Shannon Street, a primarily residential street in the southwestern stretches of the village. After passing the Homestead Gardens Apartments, the route enters a large commercial section of Van Wert, passing multiple strip malls that surround the roadway near the junction with Ervin Road. Continuing northeast through the village, SR 118 becomes residential once again, crossing over a railroad line near Gordon Avenue. At the junction with West Main Street, SR 118 turns east on West Main Street, passing north of Fountain Park. Just a block from Fountain Park, SR 118 reaches a junction with
US 127 (North Washington Street), marking the northern terminus of SR 118.
Major intersections
References
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