Transit agencies in northeast Ohio and in urban areas around the state will receive about $23 million in state grants.
The funding, part of ODOT’s Urban Transit Program, will be distributed among 26 urban transit entities to enhance and modernize public transportation services, Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will receive $4,219,503, the largest award to any of the agencies.
The transit agency in Columbus will receive just over $3 million; Dayton’s transit agency will get about $2.25 million; and Cincinnati’s transit agency will receive about $2.4 million, while the state also allocates about $36,000 for Cincinnati’s Connector Streetcar. Akron Metro RTA will receive $1.1 million.
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to GCRTA for more information on how the funding will be used.
“Public transportation is an important part of our communities,” DeWine said in a press release. “These funds help ensure public transit remains an option for the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who rely on it daily.”
ODOT’s Office of Transit is administering the awards, which are funded through Ohio’s general revenue fund.
The Office of Transit earmarked $4.25 million for small urban transit systems and small bus transit systems that are within larger urbanized areas to help provide matching funds for federal grants.
Laketran, the transit agency that serves Lake County just northeast of Cleveland, is being awarded $948,946, nearly half of which stems from the bonus for small urban transit systems. Laketran is the third-largest transit system in Northeast Ohio, serving riders in Mentor, Painesville, Willoughby, Wickliffe, Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Madison and others.
Lorain County Transit, west of Cleveland, is receiving $948,946, with $221,602 of the grant awarded as part of the Small Urban Bonus.
Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratynr said the mission is to make public transit more affordable and accessible across the state.
“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,” Boratyn said.
See the total list of grant awards from ODOT here.
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