State Route 814 is a 3 miles (5 km), north–south state route in western Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

. The entirety of SR 814 lies within Champaign County

Champaign County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,890 people, 14,952 households, and 10,870 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 15,890 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...

. The southern terminus of SR 814 is at US 36 approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Urbana

Urbana, Ohio

Urbana is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Ohio, United States, west of Columbus. Urbana was laid out in 1805, and for a time in 1812 was the headquarters of the Northwestern army. Urbana was named after the town of Urbanna, Virginia. It is the burial-place of the Indian fighter...

, and its northern terminus is at SR 296 about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) northeast of Urbana. The SR 814 designation debuted during the early 1980s, being re-numbered from State Route 714 following a major issue with SR 714 shields continually disappearing.

Route description

SR 814 commences at the intersection of US 36 and Ludlow Road east of Urbana

Urbana, Ohio

Urbana is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Ohio, United States, west of Columbus. Urbana was laid out in 1805, and for a time in 1812 was the headquarters of the Northwestern army. Urbana was named after the town of Urbanna, Virginia. It is the burial-place of the Indian fighter...

 in Union Township

Union Township, Champaign County, Ohio

Union Township is one of the twelve townships of Champaign County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,920 people in the township, 1,788 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

, just a short distance west of Urbana Country Club. The highway trends northwesterly for its entire length through farm country, passing by a few homes along the way. SR 814 intersects Swisher Road, then ducks briefly through Wayne Township

Wayne Township, Champaign County, Ohio

Wayne Township is one of the twelve townships of Champaign County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,660 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...

, where it meets Stone Quarry Road. Soon after entering Salem Township

Salem Township, Champaign County, Ohio

Salem Township is one of the twelve townships of Champaign County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,307 people in the township, 2,296 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

, SR 814 arrives at its endpoint at SR 296 northeast of Urbana.

History

SR 814 was originally designated as SR 714 ca. 1937. In the early 1970s, signage for SR 714 began to "disappear". It was discovered that because the number 714 was also a slang term for Quaaludes

Methaqualone

Methaqualone is a sedative-hypnotic drug that is similar in effect to barbiturates, a general central nervous system depressant. The sedative-hypnotic activity was first noted by Indian researchers in the 1950s and in 1962 methaqualone itself was patented in the US by Wallace and Tiernan...

, a prescription drug often used recreationally, young persons were stealing the highway signs. For this reason, SR 714 was renumbered to SR 814 in 1982.

Major intersections