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Stimulus money tops $1 billion in Ohio even without rail funds

Stimulus savings pay for 89 more projects in Ohio

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By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 11:44 PM Monday, November 8, 2010

Even if Ohio returns the $400 million it was awarded for the commuter rail system Gov.-elect John Kasich wants to kill, the state will have still received more than $1 billion for transportation projects through the federal stimulus, helping to pay for improvements to roads, bridges, transit and airports.

A September report to Congress by the U.S. Government Accountability Office said Ohio was able to fund an additional 89 projects with the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Ohio Department of Transportation claims increased competition drove down prices as much as 10 percent, paving the way for the state to bump some projects up on the priority list.

A Moraine bridge is being repaired as a result of the freed-up money.

The stimulus money has helped fund numerous projects throughout the Miami Valley, according to ODOT. T

hey include $6 million for the rehabilitation of U.S. 35 at the Interstate 675 interchange in Greene County, and two projects totaling $6 million in southern Montgomery County: the widening of Byers Road and improvements to the Austin Boulevard and Ohio 741 intersection.

“Those are great examples where the investment in transportation has sparked economic development,” said Scott Varner, ODOT’s deputy director. “The return on the investment has been job growth.”

Ohio also received stimulus funds for transit (about $190 million), plus funds for airports (about $24 million) and the passenger rail system ($400 million).

Including the rail, the total transportation stimulus package comes to more than $1.5 billion.

“This is the largest investment in the Ohio transportation system in the state’s history, thanks to the stimulus,” Varner said.

Kasich plans to kill the commuter rail program because he says it is a waste of taxpayer money. Meanwhile, New York Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo has said he wants the rail money states like Ohio are giving up.

ODOT says the stimulus money has been spread across an array of projects, beyond road and bridge work. For example, $179,792 went to bike path construction in Kettering and $1 million paid for railroad safety upgrades in Montgomery and Warren counties.

In Moraine, the Northlawn Avenue bridge that wasn’t slated to be fixed for at least another year was included in the 89 additional projects funded this year. ODOT is contributing about $250,000 toward the project.

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