Ohio Gov. Bob Taft unveiled his Jobs and Progress Plan in a series of press conferences across the state, marking the largest transportation initiative since the original creation of Ohio's interstate system more than 40 years ago.
The $5 billion plan is intended to generate more than 4,000 highway construction jobs, ease congestion, improve road safety and connect rural routes over the next 10 years. Specifically, it will address high-congestion, high-crash locations on freeways; improve state bridges and pavement conditions; and connect all parts of Ohio by completing rural routes.
"The aggressive but realistic plan will improve our transportation system and enhance our quality of life," Taft said.
Ohio already has a majority of the funding for the plan in place, but the key to fully implementing it relies on congressional reauthorization of the six-year highway surface transportation spending legislation. TEA-21 expires Sept. 30.
Senate and House committees are set to resume consideration of the Bush Administration's proposed "Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003" (SAFETEA), as well as their own reauthorization bills, when they return from recess Sept. 3.
