Brady PieperStark County, Ohio, is eyeing a potential public-private partnership (P3) for a highway expansion and renovation project in Canton.
The county is looking down a different avenue to fund the long-awaited U.S. Route 30 (US 30) freeway extension project, following the release of a statewide transportation study that did not prioritize finishing the initiative.
The freeway project seeks to redevelop an approximately 35-mile portion of US 30 to US 11 from two to four lanes, improving transportation efficiency and safety while building economic opportunities for residents and private businesses.
The 18-month study, conducted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), identifies current and future risks to the state’s transportation system, specifically in terms of congestion that could undermine economic progress. As part of its legislative obligations, the study’s 400-page final report provides recommendations for priority corridors in need of repair, renovation or upgrades.
“The goal is to help us understand how Ohio’s highways influence and support statewide economic growth and prioritize transportation projects, as funding is available,” Gov. Mike DeWine said.
Notably, Stark County’s US 30 corridor from Canton to Pennsylvania was not included in the final report’s list of recommended projects, despite repeated requests for funding from the county and community stakeholders.
The final report states there are existing safety concerns on US 30 in East Canton, Minerva and between Stark and Columbiana counties but does not support the extension due to the corridor’s relative low congestion risk and high price tag.
Without the state transportation study’s recommendation, Stark County will continue to pursue partnerships with the state, federal government or private entities that could provide financing and/or funding opportunities for US 30.
If the county were to engage in a P3, the extension project could utilize additional private investments to deliver needed infrastructure and safety improvements on US 30 without the burden of debt or exhaustive loans.
In 2019, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded an $18 million grant to the multicounty Regional Transportation Improvement Project (RTIP), which sought to replace the existing two-lane stretch of US 30 east of Canton with a four-lane expressway. The grant, however, did not encompass the project’s full cost through Stark, Carroll and Columbiana counties.
Currently, as the project has no funding, no work will be done on the US 30 extension until funding agreements are formalized. If the project can secure full funding, initial project estimates claim the expansion and renovation would take up to 10 years to implement all upgrades.
ODOT’s transportation study outlines 72 congestion risk “hotspots” throughout Ohio’s most heavily traveled highways, roads and bridges. Evaluating the state’s transportation system over the span of 30 years, the final report provides recommendations and findings for six focus corridors, including:
- Toledo to Columbus.
- Sandusky to Columbus.
- Cincinnati to Dayton.
- Columbus to West Virginia.
- Columbus to Kentucky/West Virginia.
- Canton/Youngstown to West Virginia/Pennsylvania.
Concluding the study’s final report, the state expects additional funding opportunities for both contractors and municipalities looking to get involved in enhancing the state’s transportation system.
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