ODOT seeks New Federal Funds for
Transportation Projects of the Future
COLUMBUS (Wednesday, August 25, 2010) - Electric cars, a new runway for landing futuristic aerospace equipment, and access to new jobs along the Ohio River - those are three of the 12 projects the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is hoping will receive funding through a new stream of federal transportation dollars.
(Media-Newswire.com) - COLUMBUS ( Wednesday, August 25, 2010 ) - Electric cars, a new runway for landing futuristic aerospace equipment, and access to new jobs along the Ohio River - those are three of the 12 projects the Ohio Department of Transportation ( ODOT ) is hoping will receive funding through a new stream of federal transportation dollars.
ODOT is seeking a share of $600 million in new federal funds appropriated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for its TIGER II Discretionary Grants program. This new federal funding is similar to the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery - or “TIGER grants” - authorized under the Recovery Act.
“This money will go to the kinds of projects that will help spur lasting economic growth, reduce gridlock, provide safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation choices and create jobs,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood when he announced the program earlier this year.
“We selected projects based on their ability to create jobs, leverage new private sector investment, and further transform Ohio into a premier national and global logistics location,” said ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris. “We also selected projects that will give Ohio’s citizens and business multi-modal transportation choice to help Ohio retain the next generation of young professionals and job creators,” added Director Molitoris.
While no one state can receive more than 25 percent of program funds, ODOT is supporting several applications totaling more than $259 million in requests. Those applications include:
Electrifying Ohio's Transportation System - a $12.3 million request to develop an Ohio electrical vehicle infrastructure readiness plan with local governments, including deploying 106 plug-in electric vehicles and 118 charging stations.
NASA Plum Brook Station Intermodal Facility - a $60 million request to construct a 9,000 foot-long runway to support new aerospace testing at the NASA facility and attract sustainable, high-tech jobs to Erie County.
Leipsic/Putnam County Road Widening - an $11.3 million request to widen County Road 5 in Putnam County to provide better access to the Iron Highway Industrial Park, a 244-acre industrial site in Leipsic served by three rail providers.
Akron Main Street/Broadway Street Interchange - a $55 million joint request with the City of Akron to reconstruct this high-volume interchange and increase access to nearby businesses, improve safety and reduce congestion for local drivers.
Springfield State Route 794 Relocation - a $3.8 million request to realign SR 794 to accommodate job growth at the Ohio Air National Guard Base, a major military unit and vital component of the area’s economy.
Ohio Energy and Transit Opportunity Districts - a $1.2 million joint request with the Ohio Department of Development to assist local communities in planning activities near the state’s eight proposed 3C “Quick Start” Passenger Rail Stations.
City of Columbus Rail Station - a $20.2 million joint request with the City of Columbus to construct supporting infrastructure ( pedestrian and bicycle facilities, parking facility, bus transit shelters, and lighting ) for the city’s 3C “Quick Start” Passenger Rail station.
Springfield Downtown Intermodal Facility - a $16.4 million request to build an intermodal facility in downtown Springfield to serve local transit routes, bike trails, and regional rail service, including the city’s 3C “Quick Start” Passenger Rail station.
Cincinnati Streetcar - a $35 million request to assist with funding the City of Cincinnati’s historic streetcar project that would connect the city’s two largest employment centers with electric streetcars.
Future Phases of the Columbus I-70/I-71 Modernization - a $15 million request to assist with funding for the detailed design and construction plans for later phases of the reconstruction of the I-70/I-71 interchange through downtown Columbus.
South Point Intermodal River Port - a $16.2 million request to make improvements to the South Point intermodal facility along the Ohio River in Lawrence County, with dock improvements, new overhead bridge crane, supporting road infrastructure, and new railroad line connections.
Washington County Multi-Modal Freight Facility - a $12.5 million request to re-establish abandoned rail lines and connect this Ohio River port near Marietta to an active CSX freight rail line, thus eliminating the need to offload freight from barges to a truck for a one-mile trip to the rail line.
Additional TIGER II Grant requests have been submitted to the USDOT by several local municipalities and transportation partners. These 11 projects represent the state’s official submissions by ODOT.
Competition is expected to be intense for these limited federal funds, with all 50 states eligible for these grants. The U.S. DOT is expected to announce the projects that have been selected to receive these grants in September.
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