The Ohio Department of Transportation recently awarded seven municipalities $12.4 million in Municipal Bridge Program grants for eight projects that fix or replace aging bridges on local roads.
Four bridges will be repaired and four replaced. The program covers up to 95 percent of eligible project costs.
“Bridges are a vital part of our transportation infrastructure, but the cost of maintenance and repair is often more than local jurisdictions can afford,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. “This program provides the funding assistance our local communities need to keep their bridges safe and in good condition.”
Awardees include:
- The Village of Ottawa Hills was awarded $2.5 million for the Evergreen Road Bridge Replacement project.
- Toledo was awarded $2.04 million for the Berdan Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation project.
- Columbus was awarded $797,335 for the Ohio Center Way Bridge Rehabilitation project.
To be eligible for funding, bridges must be owned by a city, village, metro park, or regional transit authority; and must be open to vehicular traffic or closed for safety concerns within the last five years. The bridge must be rated as “fair” for rehabilitation projects or “poor” for replacement or demolition.
Ohio has the third highest number of bridges nationwide, and nearly 1,500 bridges are owned by a municipality.
“The people of Ohio do not care who owns and maintains these bridges, they just want to know that they are safe to cross,” said Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn. “This program helps ensure they are.”