MICHAEL D.

DOVILLA
7 TH DISTRICT ______

VERN R IFFE CENTER

77 S OUTH HIGH S TREET, 13 TH F LOOR COLUMBUS, OH 43215-6111
_____

P OLICY AND LEGISLATIVE O VERSIGHT, CHAIRMAN F INANCE & APPROPRIATIONS H IGHER EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE M ILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS

T: (614) 466-4895
_____

F: (614) 719-6957

Ohio General Assembly

House of Representatives Columbus

_____

REP07@OHIOHOUSE. GOV

For Immediate Release: January 21, 2014

Contact: Chris Ventura (614) 466-4895

State Rep. Mike Dovilla Encourages Local Government Partners to Help Address Turnpike Concerns
BEREAState Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) today encouraged local government partners in the 7th Ohio House District to apply for funding from the Ohio Turnpike Mitigation Program. The Ohio Turnpike is an important transportation corridor and economic development asset for northern Ohio. But the toll roads presence in our communities also has detrimental impacts on quality of life and property values, particularly since the completion of the third lane project over a decade ago, said Dovilla. We now have a program with an annual funding mechanism to respond to our constituents well founded concerns and repeated requests for action. It would be unfortunate to miss this first opportunity to do so. The Turnpike Mitigation Program will fund projects within one mile of the Ohio Turnpike for areas impacted by traffic or operations of the toll road. Projects may include bridge preservation, minor resurfacing, noise walls, drainage, and other infrastructure improvements required for public transportation systems. The initiative is a direct result of language Rep. Dovilla and other northern Ohio legislators included in the transportation budget bill this past spring to authorize funding for such projects. The program will provide counties, municipalities, and townships impacted by the Turnpike the opportunity to apply for project support from a pool of $5 million in federal and state funds, which will be offered going forward on an annual basis. Projects for the initial year of construction activity will be selected in the spring of 2014, with project oversight provided by ODOT District offices. -30-