On Friday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the state would invest more than $23 million to fund urban transit entities across the state.
DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Pamela Boratyn said the state would be awarding $23.1 million in grants to Ohio’s 26 transit agencies. Agencies will be able to use the funds for a variety of purposes ranging from transit fleet expansion, replacement vehicles, preventative maintenance and facility upgrades to new equipment and technology or operating assistance.
“Public transportation is an important part of our communities,” DeWine said. “These funds help ensure public transit remains an option for the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who rely on it daily.”
The awards will be administered through the ODOT’s Office of Transit and will be funded through the state’s general revenue fund. The funds are split into two parts, officials said – $18.9 million which will be allocated proportionally to the transit system based on a percentage of their Federal Transit Administration 5307 allocation, and the remaining $4.25 million distributed in a Small Urban Bonus to transit systems based on population and service metrics.
“Part of ODOT’s mission is to ensure Ohio’s transportation system is accessible, equitable, and positioned for the future,” Boratyn said. “These funds not only go directly to support that mission, but more importantly to boost the vital service urban transit agencies provide to connect people and improve their quality of life.”