The Overview
If you drive U.S. 33 in Fairfield County or I-70 in Clark County, Ohio, you're now on a road named for a former congressman. A new state law designates parts of U.S. Route 33 in Fairfield County and Interstate 70 in Clark County as the Congressman David Hobson Memorial Highway. Ohio's Senate Bill 52, the Designate Congressman David Hobson Memorial Highway act, adds the name to state law.
Hobson served 18 years in Congress, where he was known for his work on military housing and for helping bring federal money for defense research to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Sen. Tim Schaffer, who sponsored the bill, said the name honors Hobson's contribution to the Lancaster Bypass, a road project people in Fairfield County had pushed for 50 years without it being built. The law took effect Sept. 23.
What the Law Does
The law puts the name into Ohio's state code and applies it to a portion of U.S. Route 33 in Fairfield County and I-70 in Clark County. In a June 24 announcement, the governor said the bill also names other memorial highways and creates special license plates.
Legislative Status
Republican Sen. Tim Schaffer led the bill. Twenty-five other lawmakers also supported it as co-sponsors. Among them were Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-OH), Sen. Bill Reineke (R-OH), Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-OH), Sen. Casey Weinstein (D-OH), and Rep. Elgin Rogers (D-OH), plus 20 more.
Neither chamber had a single vote against it. The Senate approved it 32-0 on June 18, 2025. The House approved it 96-0 on June 10, 2026. The Senate then approved the changes the House made, voting 33-0 on June 11, 2026.
Gov. Mike DeWine is Ohio's Republican governor. Schaffer said the designation would recognize Hobson's contribution to the Lancaster Bypass: "For 50 years, people in and around Fairfield County had been proposing the Lancaster Bypass, but were unable to make it a reality."
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