New 52 Project, Inc. v. Proctor, Ohio Department of Transportation

{¶ 1} Today we must decide whether a court of common pleas has jurisdiction to decide whether an easement for a state highway has been abandoned. Because we hold that R.C. Chapter 5511 gives the director of transportation the exclusive authority to abandon or vacate portions of the state highway system, we answer that question in the negative. Accordingly we reverse the judgment of the court of appeals and reinstate the judgment of the trial court dismissing the complaint.

Facts and Procedural History

{¶ 2} In 1959, Lillian Parsons deeded an easement through a portion of her property, in the…