Ohio Department of Transportation announces millions in grants to support urban transit services

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is announcing over $23 million in grants to support urban transit initiatives across the state. The grants will support local transit agencies in their efforts to ensure public transportation is feasible and reliable for Ohioans who utilize services on a daily basis.

“Part of ODOT’s mission is to ensure Ohio’s transportation system is accessible, equitable, and positioned for the future,” ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn says in a press release. “These funds not only go directly to support that mission, but more importantly to boost the vital service urban transit agencies provide to connect people and improve their quality of life.”  

The grants are a part of the state’s Urban Transit Program, which delivers funding opportunities for transit service initiatives in Ohio’s urbanized areas with populations of 50,000 or greater.  

For this round of grants, the program will source funds from Ohio’s General Revenue Funds to enhance maintenance and operational efforts on the state’s local transit systems. 

RELATED: Ohio cities awarded $38.6 million for transportation projects

A total of $23.15 million will be distributed among urban transit agencies to facilitate a wide range of transit-oriented improvements, including fleet expansion, vehicle replacements, preventative maintenance, facility upgrades and the acquisition of new technology and equipment.  

Additionally, the grants will provide operating assistance for agencies to maintain transit services in areas where residents rely on daily public transportation. 

The Office of Transit has also designated $4.25 million to specifically support small urban transit systems. Transit agencies in this round of grants will utilize this additional funding to assist operations and access to supplemental federal funding opportunities. 

Including Small Urban Bonuses, five transit agencies will secure more than $1 million in grants from the Office of Transit: 

• Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (Cleveland) – $4.22 million. 

• Central Ohio Transit Authority (Columbus) – $3.02 million. 

• Southwestern Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Cincinnati) – $2.44 million. 

• Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority (Dayton) – $2.25 million. 

• Akron Metropolitan Regional Transit Authority (Akron) – $1.12 million. 

A full list of transit agencies receiving grants in this round of the Urban Transit Program can be found on ODOT’s Ohio Urban Transit Grants list. 

Photo courtesy Darius Pinkston from Cincinnati