COLUMBUS, Ohio – Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn dedicated more than $12 million to invest in and aid communities with fixing or replacing aging bridges on local roads.
“Bridges are a vital part of our transportation infrastructure, but the cost of maintenance and repair is often more than local jurisdictions can afford,” DeWine said. “This program provides the funding assistance our local communities need to keep their bridges safe and in good condition.”
ODOT’s Municipal Bridge Program, an annual grant for local municipalities to apply for to pay for projects on bridges under their jurisdiction, is awarding $12.4 million to eight projects in seven communities, according to a ODOT press release. “The projects include full replacements of four bridges and repairs on four others.”
There are nearly 1,500 eligible bridges in the state of Ohio that are owned by a municipality and meet the federal definition of a bridge.
To be eligible for the program, bridges must:
- Be owned by a city, village, metro park or regional transit authority.
- Be open to vehicular traffic (unless the bridge was closed due to safety concerns within the last 5 years).
- Be defined as “poor” to qualify for replacement or demolition.
- Be defined as “fair” to qualify for rehabilitation projects.
Applications for funding were accepted starting July 1 and ending August 15. The funding requests were reviewed by a multi-disciplinary committee with a background in funding and program management and bridge analysis. In addition to the written application, each applicant was invited to present their application before the selection committee.
The program may cover up to 95% of eligible project costs.
“Bridges owned by local communities make up the majority of the bridges in our state. The people of Ohio do not care who owns and maintains these bridges, they just want to know that they are safe to cross. This program helps ensure they are,” Boratyn said.
Ohio has the third largest bridge inventory in the nation, trailing only Texas and Illinois.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
