Coalition of Concerned Citizens Against I-670 v. Damian

The Coalition of Concerned Citizens Against I-670 (the coalition) (plaintiff) opposed the location of a project extending Interstate 670 (I-670). The project was planned to cut through neighborhoods in downtown Columbus, Ohio, with high populations of racial minorities. Seventy-five percent of the 355 persons to be displaced by the construction were racial minorities. Government officials created the Ohio Action Plan as required by federal regulation. The action plan required that the public be made aware of project proposals and be presented an opportunity to comment on modifications or alternatives. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) (defendant) was central to the planning process. The MORPC included the Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC) in the planning process to satisfy these requirements. The CAC was to provide input on behalf of the local community, but the group mostly consisted of members from business and governmental organizations and not anyone who represented the interests of the affected neighborhoods. Coalition members offered an alternative to the proposed route for the extension of I-670. The Columbus city council funded a restudy of transportation options in the region in which the alternative solution proposed by coalition members was considered and ultimately rejected. The government agencies involved also considered alternative locations for the highway extension. The main alternative location would have had a substantially greater impact on racial minorities. The coalition filed an action against the MORPC, the City of Columbus, the State of Ohio, and the federal government (defendants) for declaratory and injunctive relief regarding the construction of the I-670 extension. The coalition alleged a lack of public involvement in the planning process and a failure to consider the disparate impact on minorities.