Ohio is funding projects that reduce traffic congestion and improve access to multimodal transportation options throughout the state.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is announcing nearly $320 million in funding for transportation projects through the state’s Major New Construction Program. These awarded transportation projects seek to reduce traffic congestion that hinders mobility, economic development and quality of life for Ohio residents.
Local municipalities, cities and transportation authorities throughout the state submitted 26 applications to TRAC for the grant program. TRAC’s announcement will award funding for 14 of these applicants to support several project activities, such as preliminary engineering, detailed design, right-of-way acquisitions and project construction.
TRAC awards Major New Construction Program grants to applicants in three tiers based on the level of project development. Projects that are slated for development within the upcoming four years are tier one.
In this round of new developments, the majority of funding, $295.2 million, will be delivered to tier one projects for construction and development activities.
Among the eight awarded tier one projects, an $82.2 million grant will support the first segment of the US 33 Widening project in Fairfield and Franklin counties. Aligning with the state’s short-term goals and exhibiting no extensive right-of-way requirements, the project will add a third lane to each direction of US 33 between I-270 and Gender Road.
TRAC will award a $79 million grant to a Smartlane project in Hamilton County. Located on I-275, the project seeks to complete the Smartlane initiative from US 42 to SR 28 and from SR 28 to Loveland-Madeira.
Another significant grant, $66 million, is earmarked for an interstate highway expansion initiative in Summit County. Seeking to improve safety and traffic flow, the I-77/SR 8 project will use the new state funding to add lanes and braiding ramps north of the I-76/I-77 central interchange.
The remaining tier one awards are listed below:
- Cuyahoga County – $41 million to reconstruct I-90 from East 9th Street to Carnegie Avenue.
- Cuyahoga County – $7.2 million to convert the existing interchange at US 422 at Harper Road to a diverging diamond interchange. The project will also develop a mixed-use path, sidewalks and traffic signals.
- Hamilton County – $7.1 million to widen the Dry Fork Road bridge for additional left turn lanes.
- Mahoning County – $6.5 million for roadway and safety enhancements and improved access management on the US 244 corridor.
- Knox County – $5.6 million to relocate SR 13 southwest along the Koksogin River to reduce traffic congestion and improve pedestrian mobility near Mt. Vernon.
The Major New Capacity Program’s second tier supports recommended construction projects that require additional environmental, design or right-of-way development activities. While there are no tier three awards in this round, TRAC will support six tier two projects that are in the early stages of development. The largest tier two awards are as follows:
- Fairfield and Licking Counties – $8 million for right-of-way activities on a project that will improve roadways and interchanges over I-70.
- Pickaway County – $5 million for right-of-way acquisitions on the US 23 at SR 762 project, which will replace an existing intersection with a full interchange.
- Lucas County – $4.1 million for the preliminary engineering and design of an interchange project on I-475 at SR 2. The project will convert an existing interchange to a diverging diamond interchange and add a multi-use path.
- Lake County – $3 million for initial engineering and design activities on the SR 615 at I-90 project in the city of Mentor. The project will construct an additional lane along the SR 615 bridge and expand ramps.
- Montgomery County – $2 million for the DIA Northeast Logistics project. The funding will support right-of-way activities before the improvement of surface transportation routes near Dayton International Airport. The project includes the construction of nearly three miles of shared use paths.
- Warren County – $2 million for preliminary engineering and design on a project seeking to add a through lane in each direction of SR 48 between Ridgeview Lane and Mason Morrow Millgrove Road.
Established in 1997, TRAC is designed to develop project selection processes and approve funding for new projects in the Major New Capacity Program.
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