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ODOT makes State Farm motorist assistance vehicle permanent for metropolitan Youngstown
By ROBERT CONNELLY
YOUNGSTOWN
An Ohio Department of Transportation motorist-assistance vehicle will now be permanent in the metropolitan area of Youngstown.
The State Farm Safety Patrol vehicle was introduced to the area in May in association with the Interstate 80 construction project. “It sort of started with the I-80 project, and we realized this was a beneficial thing for the Youngstown area, so we decided to make it permanent,” said Matt Bruning, ODOT press secretary.
Similarly, there are permanent ODOT State Farm-sponsored vehicles in Akron, Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo.
A news release announcing the permanent vehicle said the Youngstown patrol vehicle assisted more than 346 motorists in May and June. “It kind of started out slow in May because that was our very first month,” Bruning said. “We anticipate those numbers will probably increase as we go forward.”
The vehicle will patrol the metropolitan area on Interstates 80 and 680 and state Routes 711 and 11. Justin Chesnic, spokesman for ODOT District 4, said that means on I-80 between state Route 46 and state Route 193/Belmont Avenue, on I-680 from I-80 to Route 711 and on Route 11 from I-80 to U.S. Route 224.
“It’s a good program that ... basically helps motorists who are stranded,” Chesnic said.
Cardinal Joint Fire District Chief Don Hutchison said he was wanting more coverage for Canfield, but was happy to hear that the coverage of the vehicle includes the reconstruction of the 224 bridge over Route 11 in Canfield.
The vehicle operates from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and assists motorists with flat tires, jump starts, adding coolant or fuel and removing disabled vehicles and debris from the roadway.
The vehicle, while assisting motorists, has an arrow it can display along with lights to alert motorists to move over a lane.
“I think this project is an absolute wonderful thing,” said Andy Frost III, Austintown fire chief. “The best thing is, I see it pulled off to the side of the road helping pedestrians all the time. ... I am thrilled with the whole project and for them to announce they will be permanent – that’s outstanding for our area.”
In October 2014, State Farm agreed to sponsor the program for four years and that agreement “helps ODOT reduce delays and improve safety for the monitoring public without requiring additional tax dollars,” a news release said.
Bruning said ODOT has a traffic-management center in Columbus with dispatchers monitoring traffic conditions across the state. Local police agencies can call that center to have the ODOT vehicle sent out to assist a motorist in an area where the state agency has a State Farm vehicle.