NOACA Governing Board Approves Four-Year Transportation Program

Today, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) Governing Board adopted the State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2012 - 2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which identifies almost $3 billion in federal-aid highway, transit, bicycle and enhancement projects scheduled for implementation over the next four years in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties.

“The TIP is one of the region’s fundamental planning documents, and is very important to communities sponsoring transportation improvements,” says Howard R. Maier, NOACA executive director. “According to federal surface transportation law, projects must be scheduled in the TIP to receive federal funding.”

The Governing Board also approved the agency’s Fiscal Year 2012 Overall Work Program (OWP), which describes NOACA’s planning activities from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The OWP includes NOACA’s transportation, air quality, and water quality planning projects, as well as special programs, traffic and safety studies, public outreach and program administration.

In other business, the Governing Board adopted a resolution to oppose the sale or lease of the Ohio Turnpike, as proposed by Ohio Governor John Kasich, until evidence can be presented that a sale/lease of the facility will yield significant long-term benefits for northeast Ohio. The resolution also states that, in the event of a sale or lease of the Ohio Turnpike, proceeds of the lease should be spent on transportation infrastructure projects, particularly those on parallel routes, in northern Ohio. Governing Board members agreed that the State of Ohio should work with the metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) and affected governments along the Ohio Turnpike’s route to identify the transportation projects.

NOACA Governing Board President Stephen D. Hambley organized an Ohio Turnpike Sale/Lease Proposal Committee to review this proposal and determine whether the sale of the turnpike would be in the best interests of the region. NOACA’s resolution and other materials related to this issue are available on agency’s website, www.noaca.org/turnpike.html. The Toledo and Youngstown area MPOs are studying the issue as well and the Akron area MPO will be acting on a similar resolution next week.

Media persons with questions should contact Cheryl Onesky, Senior Communications Specialist, at 241-2414, extension 221; or Jonathan Giblin, Director of Programs, at extension 346.