On behalf of the Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC), I respectfully submit the below comments in response to the 2026-2029 Major New Construction Draft Program List which was adopted by the Transportation Review Advisory Committee (TRAC) on March 25, and scheduled to be approved at the April 23, 2026 Regular Session Meeting.
GOPC notes the work TRAC has undertaken to review and develop this draft program list. We recognize that TRAC is being very mindful and cost-conscious as Ohio continues to experience increased construction costs due to inflation and declining revenues from the motor fuel tax. TRAC is to be commended for this cost-consciousness.
We Applaud TRAC’s Recommendation to Invest in a Modern Rail Network
We applaud TRAC for including the GCRTA Light Rail request ($10 million) from this year’s project list. Light rail can move thousands of people a day, people who otherwise may travel in single-occupancy vehicles on state-owned roads. The cost of updating GCRTA’s Light Rail is an economical, high-benefit, investment and a much-needed modernization project that will enhance transit services in Ohio’s largest metropolitan region. We strongly support this investment and appreciate that TRAC understands how this project reduces congestion, enhances economic development, and improves quality of life for the citizens of Ohio.
We have Strong Concerns about Utilizing Public Dollars for a Private Purpose
We have strong concerns [AG1.1]regarding the planned investment of $35 million – the largest proposed project on the draft Major New Construction Program – for roadway improvements to the interchange rams at I-71/Snow Road in Brook Park in Cuyahoga County.
The proposed improvements to this interchange, while ODOT-maintained, are driven entirely by the development of a private facility with limited use. We draw this assumption from the public statements made by the entity developing the facility, which bypassed the traditional route of seeking project funds and approached the MPO and secured approval of the project after the TRAC submission deadline. While presenting to the MPO earlier this year, developers maintained that “events at the new stadium would have only a ‘marginal’ impact on delays for drivers going both to and from the airport and hospital.”
It is our strong belief that investments intended for a private purpose should be paid for by the private party involved. It light of comments made at the same meeting from the MPO that the region “has excess capacity, particularly for the interstate” this project should be privately funded to allow for the public dollars to be invested in more worthwhile projects.
Missed Opportunity with Bus Rapid Transit
We believe TRAC missed an opportunity by not including the $22.8 million request from the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) for East Main Street Corridor improvements for the planned Bus Rapid Transit project. We are deeply concerned by the treatment the request received during the project nomination process this year: COTA representatives were [AG2.1]grilled about the potential impact this project would cause for motorists, and TRAC staff significantly downgraded the project’s scoring while other projects (including the Brook Park project) having their scores increased.
Every major infrastructure project causes delays and inconvenience for motorists. The purpose of the COTA BRT project is to create more transportation options for the traveling public – including for those who do not have access to a personal automobile - as well as potential riders of choice.
When fully developed, the proposed BRT system will provide greater opportunities for the traveling public and do more to help to reduce congestion in the Central Ohio region than alternatives like added travel lanes.
Unnecessary Project Should be Dropped
GOPC is deeply concerned with the $27 million Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-75 and Millikin Road in Butler County.
The new interchange that would be developed at this location is only 2 miles away from an existing interchange to the south, and 3 miles away from an existing interchange to the north. Even in the face of discussions around future development in the area, we can find no justifiable reason to invest the second largest amount of funding on the draft New Construction Program list.
This investment will come at the expense of other investments in the region, such as the requested $50 million for the Western Hills Viaduct in Hamilton County. That is a project that has a very clear and obvious need for investment.
We hope that TRAC will consider more projects that increase multi-modal options and benefits and decrease congestion. At the same time, we encourage TRAC to prioritize investments that seek to improve existing infrastructure and not the creation of new infrastructure that will only add to the long-term costs of maintenance in the future.