Route 224, I-80 in Valley to get upgrades

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

howland

Several Mahoning Valley infrastructure projects are among those to be funded with $5 billion for Ohio during the next two years, said Jolene Molitoris, Ohio Department of Transportation director.

Molitoris, who grew up in Warren and graduated from Warren John F. Kennedy High School, spoke Friday at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Government Affairs Council luncheon at Avalon Inn.

Included in that list is finishing work on the project to widen U.S. Route 224 in Boardman, between Boardman Park Drive and just west of South Avenue.

“As we promised, we opened [Route] 224 in time for the shopping season, and this summer, we’ll be back in there to finish the job,” said Molitoris, the first female ODOT director.

Also planned is resurfacing of Interstate 80 in Girard, Liberty and Austintown, she said.

One project that remains on a back burner, however, is adding a third lane to I-80 between I-680 and state Route 193.

The project is listed as a tier-2 construction project, and ODOT District 4 late last year began lobbying to move it to tier 1. Tier-1 projects are ready for construction.

The Transportation Review Advisory Council met Thursday and kept the $204 million project in tier 2. TRAC is the panel that chooses major new transportation projects.

Patrick Ungaro, Liberty Township administrator and a TRAC member, said the committee reviewed more than 100 projects. Thirty-two were funded and 30, including the I-80 widening, were not.

“These are all priority projects,” Ungaro said.

TRAC is systematically going through the list and will meet again in May and start another round of funding in June.

“I’m going to do everything I can to get [I-80] funded as soon as possible,” Ungaro said, “Chances are very good because of stimulus money, adding to the possibility of it being funded sooner.”

There is a $22 million project planned for later this year, adding a lane on I-80 over Belmont Avenue, the total renovation of the bridge at Shady Road by Liberty High School and the renovation of the bridge in Girard over U.S. Route 422, Ungaro said.

Molitoris also served as the first woman to head the Federal Railroad Administration, appointed by former President Bill Clinton.

She and Gov. Ted Strickland have announced plans for 79-mph passenger train service to connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. The project is to be funded with $400 million in federal stimulus dollars but has met criticism from state Republican leaders who are concerned about costs.