State transportation director warns of road funding crisis

Ohio’s road COLUMBUS — maintenance and infrastructure are facing an “impending crisis” unless more fund- ing is provided for those types of projects, according to the state’s Department of Transportation director.

ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks issued his warning recently before an advisory panel that will make funding recommendations to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

Marchbanks said contracts for road maintenance that totaled $2.4 billion in 2014 may drop to $1.5 billion in 2020, and a $1 billion gap remains in the department budget. He said there will be no new roads or other projects in the foreseeable future, and 90 percent of the department’s money must go toward road maintenance.

“It is a grim financial situation,” Marchbanks said. “It is also a dangerous one.”

The director said without more funding to fix the roads, more crashes will happen.

Col. Paul Pride, superintendent of the State Highway Patrol, has said road condi- tions — including maintenance issues and inclement weather — contribute to about a third of highway fatalities.

Years of flat revenue from the gas tax, debt payments and increased highway construction costs have all con- tributed to the financial situation, Marchbanks said.

Former Republican Gov. John Kasich and lawmak- ers approved $1.5 billion in short-term transportation funding in 2013. However, that money was either spent or committed.

“There is a level of borrowing that’s responsible, and we’re not saying ODOT won’t borrow funds in the future,” Marchbanks said. “But we’ve loaded on too much debt.”

He said ODOT already is spending $390 million each year to pay for prior borrowing against future gastax revenue.