# Ohio State Route 73

State Route 73 (SR 73) is an east–west state highway in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its western terminus is on U.S. Route 27 in Oxford at the intersection of SR 732. SR 73’s eastern terminus is in Portsmouth at US 23; this is also the southern terminus of SR 104, and the two state routes run concurrently for over 6 miles (9.7 km) from this point north. Once SR 73 enters Scioto County, it is designated as the Scenic Scioto Heritage Trail by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
In combination with SR 32, SR 73's easternmost 31 miles (50 km) are part of the quickest route between Cincinnati and Portsmouth.

## Route description

The portion of SR 73 between Interstate 75 and SR 741 in Springboro is designated as the "Officer Bill Johnson Memorial Highway", in honor of William L. "Bill" Johnson, a 48-year-old, eight-year veteran of the Springboro Police Department who was struck and killed by a vehicle around 12:30 a.m. on June 27, 1983 while outside his cruiser on SR 73, investigating two people walking in the roadway.

## Points of interest

* Great Miami River - Middletown, Franklin
* Excello Locks - Historic Remains of a lock on the Miami-Erie Canal near the intersection of 73 and S. Main St. in Middletown, Ohio. Much of the route between Trenton and Franklin follows the original path of the Miami and Erie Canal.
* Middletown Historical Society Canal Museum
* La Comedia Dinner Theatre - Springboro
* Little Miami River - Waynesville
* Little Miami Bike Trail - Corwin
* Caesar Creek Lake - Warren County
* Caesar Creek State Park - Warren, Clinton County
* Serpent Mound
* Brush Creek State Forest
* Shawnee State Forest
* Scioto River
* Ohio River

## History

* 1924 – Original route established; originally routed from Franklin to 1-mile (1.6 km) west of Portsmouth (dually certified with State Route 104 from 1-mile (1.6 km) north of Coles Park to 1-mile (1.6 km) west of Portsmouth before 1926).
* 1926 – Extended to 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Middletown along the previous State Route 6; State Route 104 certification removed.
* March 9, 1932 – Extended to the U.S. Route 127 about 1-mile (1.6 km) northwest of Seven Mile.
* 1936 – Extended to Oxford.
* 1952 – Dually certified with State Route 104 from 1-mile (1.6 km) north of Coles Park to 1-mile (1.6 km) west of Portsmouth.
* 1957 – From Excello to Franklin upgraded to 4 lanes.
* 1962 – From 1-mile (1.6 km) north of West Portsmouth to 1-mile (1.6 km) west of Portsmouth upgraded to 4 lanes.
* 1966 – From Franklin to Interstate 75 upgraded to 4 lanes.
* 1972 – Extended to Portsmouth (dually certified with State Route 104) along the former alignment of U.S. Route 23.
* 1979 – From Interstate 75 to Springboro upgraded to divided highway.
* 1980 – From Trenton to Excello upgraded to divided highway.
* 2011 – Realigned around Wilmington along a new bypass.

## Major junctions

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Butler | Oxford | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 27 north (West High Street) / SR 732 (Main Street) | Western end of US 27 concurrency |
| Butler | Oxford | 0.81 | 1.30 | US 27 south (South Patterson Avenue) | Eastern end of US 27 concurrency |
| Butler | Milford Township | 4.38 | 7.05 | SR 177 – Hamilton, Richmond, Ind. | |
| Butler | Milford Township | 7.32 | 11.78 | US 127 north / Huston Road – Eaton | Western end of US 127 concurrency |
| Butler | Wayne Township | 9.89 | 15.92 | US 127 south – Hamilton | Eastern end of US 127 concurrency |
| Butler | Wayne Township | 10.72 | 17.25 | SR 503 – West Elkton, Seven Mile | |
| Butler | Lemon Township | 18.23– 18.87 | 29.34– 30.37 | SR 4 south / Oxford State Road – Hamilton | Western end of SR 4 concurrency |
| Butler | Middletown | 20.99 | 33.78 | SR 122 (Second Avenue) | Western end of SR 122 eastbound concurrency (northbound SR 4 / eastbound SR 73 only) |
| Butler | Middletown | 21.05 | 33.88 | SR 122 east (First Avenue) | Eastern end of SR 122 eastbound concurrency (northbound SR 4 / eastbound SR 73 only) |
| Butler | Middletown | 21.44 | 34.50 | SR 122 west (Reinartz Boulevard) | |
| Butler | Middletown | 22.55 | 36.29 | SR 4 north (Germantown Road) / Nelbar Street | Eastern end of SR 4 concurrency |
| Warren | Franklin | 27.41 | 44.11 | SR 123 south (Sixth Street) | Western end of SR 123 concurrency |
| Warren | Franklin | 27.76 | 44.68 | SR 123 north (Main Street / River Street) / Park Avenue | Eastern end of SR 123 concurrency |
| Warren | Franklin–Springboro city line | 29.48– 29.69 | 47.44– 47.78 | I-75 – Cincinnati, Dayton | Exit 38 (I-75) |
| Warren | Springboro | 31.57 | 50.81 | SR 741 (Main Street) | |
| Warren | Clearcreek Township | 35.31 | 56.83 | SR 48 – Centerville, Lebanon | |
| Warren | Waynesville | 39.98 | 64.34 | US 42 – Xenia, Lebanon | |
| Clinton | Chester Township | 48.67– 48.91 | 78.33– 78.71 | I-71 – Cincinnati, Columbus | Exit 45 (I-71) |
| Clinton | Chester Township | 49.08 | 78.99 | SR 380 – Xenia | |
| Western end of freeway ||||||
| Clinton | Union Township | 54.56– 55.20 | 87.81– 88.84 | US 68 – Xenia, Wilmington | |
| Clinton | Wilmington | 58.17– 58.86 | 93.62– 94.73 | US 22 / SR 3 – Wilmington, Washington Court House | |
| Eastern end of freeway ||||||
| Clinton | Green Township | 66.46 | 106.96 | SR 350 west – Clarksville, Cowan Lake State Park | Western end of SR 350 concurrency |
| Clinton | Green Township | 66.70 | 107.34 | SR 729 north / Thornburg Road – Sabina | Southern terminus of SR 729 |
| Clinton | New Vienna | 68.80 | 110.72 | SR 28 (West Street) / SR 350 ends – Greenfield, Blanchester | Eastern end of SR 350 concurrency |
| Highland | Hillsboro | 78.58 | 126.46 | US 50 west / SR 124 west (West Main Street) / South West Street | Western end of US 50 / SR 124 concurrency |
| Highland | Hillsboro | 78.71 | 126.67 | US 50 east / SR 124 east (East Main Street) / US 62 east / SR 138 north (North High Street) | Eastern end of US 50 / SR 124 concurrency; western end of US 62 / SR 138 concurrencies |
| Highland | Hillsboro | 78.90 | 126.98 | SR 138 south (South Street) | Eastern end of SR 138 concurrency |
| Highland | Hillsboro | 79.08 | 127.27 | US 62 west (South High Street) | Eastern end of US 62 concurrency |
| Highland | Hillsboro | 79.22 | 127.49 | SR 247 south (South East Street) | Northern terminus of SR 247 |
| Highland | Jackson Township | 89.92 | 144.71 | SR 785 west | Eastern terminus of SR 785 |
| Highland–Adams county line | Jackson–Bratton township line | 92.64 | 149.09 | SR 770 south / Davis Road – [[, Ohio|]] | Northern terminus of SR 770 |
| Adams | Franklin Township | 100.28 | 161.39 | SR 41 north – Sinking Spring | Western end of SR 41 concurrency |
| Adams | Franklin Township | 100.54 | 161.80 | SR 41 south – Peebles | Eastern end of SR 41 concurrency |
| Adams | Franklin Township | 103.00– 103.02 | 165.76– 165.79 | SR 32 (James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway) – Jackson, Cincinnati | |
| Scioto | Rarden | 109.80 | 176.71 | SR 772 north (Depot Street) | Southern terminus of SR 772 |
| Scioto | Otway | 115.13 | 185.28 | SR 348 east (Walnut Street) | Western end of SR 348 concurrency |
| Scioto | Otway | 115.28 | 185.53 | SR 348 west | Eastern end of SR 348 concurrency |
| Scioto | Union Township | 121.13 | 194.94 | SR 371 south – Shawnee State Park | Northern terminus of SR 371 |
| Scioto | Rush Township | 128.43 | 206.69 | SR 104 north | Western end of SR 104 concurrency |
| Scioto | Washington Township | 132.45 | 213.16 | SR 239 south to US 52 | Northern terminus of SR 239 |
| Scioto | Washington Township | 132.98– 133.71 | 214.01– 215.19 | US 52 / US 23 Truck south / SR 852 south – Cincinnati, Kentucky, Ironton | Interchange; northern terminus of SR 852; no access from SR 73 westbound to US 52 eastbound |
| Scioto | Portsmouth | 134.69 | 216.76 | US 23 / Washington Street | Western end of US 23 southbound concurrency |
| Scioto | Portsmouth | 134.80 | 216.94 | US 23 (Chillicothe Street / U.S. Grant Bridge) / SR 104 ends / 2nd Street | Eastern end of US 23 southbound / SR 104 concurrencies |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access ||||||