Ohio to see historic construction spending this year

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio transportation officials say 2010 will be the biggest construction season in state history.

Helped by federal stimulus money, Ohio will award about $2 billion in transportation construction projects — outnumbering past years by more than 30 percent.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said today the agency and its local partners will have more than 1,600 projects under construction this year.

Projects include $450 million to replace the Interstate 90 Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland. Design and engineering work will begin this summer, with construction slated for 2011.

Other major projects this year include $57.6 million for work on Interstate 75 in Dayton, $11 million to widen a bridge on I-270 near Columbus, and $23 million for a five-mile major upgrade of Interstate 70 in Belmont County.