"It's pretty bad for the area to have roads like this," said Dave Sabol of Washington Township, referring to a bumpy stretch of Spring Valley Road near Atchison in his neighborhood.
He said he's complained to the township and Montgomery County and he worries about the wear and tear on his vehicle.
"Anytime you hit anything, that can effect your suspension and your tires," said Sabol.
Deteriorating roadways are costing motorists in the Dayton area $1,740 per year in repairs, depreciation, accidents and congestion, according to TRIP, a national non-profit transportation research group.
TRIP announced those findings from a new report, "Modernizing Ohio's Transportation System: Progress and Challenges in Providing Safe, Efficient and Well-Maintained Roads, Highways and Bridges," today at the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.
"What our report points out is that certainly there's a cost to improving the transportation system, but there's a far higher cost when you don't make those improvements," said Rocky Moretti, TRIP's director of policy and research.
Regional leaders hope to use the data to get the public and lawmakers to support funding increases for road and bridge improvements.
Current funding levels aren't cutting it, according to Montgomery County Engineer Paul Gruner.
>>> U.S. 35 West in Xenia remains closed after semi crashes down embankment
"What we can afford to buy with that money is down because of inflation in general," Gruner said. "Now the gas tax or revenues are starting to go flat or go down because of more fuel efficient vehicles, electric vehicles and hybrids."
The report highlighted the following Dayton area road projects that lack adequate state and local funding to proceed with construction through 2023:
- I-70/75 Improve access to Dayton Airport and US 40 interchange
- U.S. 35 New interchange at Valley/Trebein Road
- U.S. 35 Modification of Woodman/SR 835 and Smithville Road interchange
About the Author