Ohio Turnpike's new director sees changes up ahead Technology could affect many aspects
A truck heads to the Ohio Turnpike off State Route 21 in Brecksville, OH, Wednesday, August 22, 2012.
(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)
BEREA, Ohio -- The Ohio Turnpike Commission has approved its 2016 $143.5-million capital budget, the largest in 15 years.
It includes provisions for base pavement replacement, bridge rehabilitation and repairs and resurfacing on the 241-mile toll road.
The commission's approval of the budget comes at a time when it also is underwriting $1 billion for non-turnpike transportation infrastructure projects in northern Ohio from bonds issued by the commission and backed by future toll revenues.
The bonds are debt that is to be repaid by 10 annual 2.7 percent increases in tolls. The turnpike kept $70 million of the $1 billion for its own road maintenance work.
A federal judge threw out a lawsuit last August that challenged the use of turnpike revenues to underwrite non-turnpike projects.
U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, wrote in a 14-page opinion that the money from the Ohio Turnpike Commission "benefits Turnpike users," even if it is not used for maintenance of the Turnpike itself.
The judge that the money was used on "nexus" -- or related -- transportation projects.
"Ohio Turnpike customers expect a safe and smooth roadway and our team is dedicated to providing excellence," Randy Cole, the turnpike's executive director said in a press release.
Turnpike spokesman Brian Newbacher said in an email Tuesday that the capital-improvement budget is about 20 percent larger than last year's budget of $125 million.
The primary funding sources for 2016 are toll revenue and concession revenues after deducting for operating expenses and debt service payments (about $103 million), he said.
Additional sources are money from the 2013 bond sale proceeds (about $15.3 million in 2016); fuel tax (the Turnpike receives 5 cents per gallon sold at its 14 Service Plazas, $2.4 million); and amounts remaining unspent from 2015 ($23 million).
In the coming year, the turnpike will replace pavement in five-mile long sections in the westbound lanes in Lorain County from milepost 144.1 to 149.24 and the eastbound lanes in Trumbull County from milepost 216.1 to 221. The opposite lanes in these sections were completed in 2015.
Five-mile long sections will also be replaced beginning in in Erie County in the eastbound lanes from milepost 107.3 to 112.45 and in Portage County from milepost 186.35 to 191.39. The commission has approved a combined project budget for pavement replacement of $76 million.
Three resurfacing projects are scheduled for 2016 totaling approximately $18.8 million.
These include resurfacing the pavement from milepost 38.9 to 43.3 in Fulton County and from milepost 55.45 to 69.3 in Lucas and Wood counties. Service-plaza parking areas and the ramps at Exit 91-Fremont/Port Clinton are also scheduled for resurfacing.
Bridge repairs and rehabilitations also are in the budget for 2016 with $15.7 million dedicated to their improvements.
The bridge repairs include deck replacements, miscellaneous bridge rehabilitations, and substructure repair at various sites, including ten deck replacements at milepost 21.4 in Williams County, at mileposts 23.9, 24.4, 27.3, 41.9, 42.4 and 42.9 in Fulton County, at milepost 150.5 in Lorain County and at mileposts 197.8 and 198.5 in Portage County. Another 11 bridges will be repaired and rehabilitated from milepost 197.8 to 236.7 in Portage, Trumbull and Mahoning Counties.