In 1946 the "Colonial Hills Civic Association" was established. It was incorporated in 1952, the same year some residents of Colonial Hills began seeking annexation to the village of Worthington. Sharon Township was being rapidly converted from farmland to higher value retail and housing development. Both Columbus and Worthington wanted to add this valuable new property to their cities. Deciding between remaining part of the township, annexing to Columbus or annexing to Worthington was difficult. Tax rates in Columbus were $20 per $1000 of valued property, while the township was charging $26.20 and in Worthington, $29.20. The typical taxpayer in Colonial Hills paid $200 in annual property tax. Concerned about the cost of providing services to Colonial Hills, many of Worthington's 2000 residents fought the annexation for two years until November 2, 1954 when Colonial Hills was annexed to Worthington. This increased the population of Worthington to more than 5000, and changed its status from Village to City. "Colonial Hills Elementary School" was promptly constructed and opened in 1955. In 1950s, Colonial Hills hosted a July Fourth celebration that was a major event for the north side of Columbus. A parade with hundreds of children in costume, floats and horse-drawn wagons made its way along Andover to Selby Park, where tents were set up. Fireworks followed. Prior to the completion of Interstate 70 and Interstate 71 across Ohio, the City of Columbus began construction "expressways" that would link to the new Interstate System. The portion of Interstate 71 that bounds Worthington's eastern edge was called "The North Freeway", cost 13.8 million dollars, and was constructed south from State Route 161, arriving at 11th avenue by August, 1961. It took a year to get from 11th Avenue to 5th Avenue, mostly due to the need to construct a massive underpass under the Pennsylvania Railroad's Grogan Yard. Ironically, today only two tracks cross the viaduct, the rest of the structure supports a large, weedy field. By August 1962, the freeway had reached Fifth Avenue, and reached downtown in November 1962. It wasn't until 1966 that I-71 was complete between Cincinnati and Cleveland. I-270 (the Outerbelt) was proposed in the early 1960s with the north section to be routed through the deaf school just north of Graceland Shopping Center. This proposal was fought by residents of Clintonville and Beechwold through 1961. In October, 1961, after an extensive letter writing campaign by local residents, Ohio Governor Michael DiSalle announced that the freeway would be built north of Worthington.