AASHTO Journal - Ohio DOT Issues $12.7M in Small City Program Grants

The Ohio Department of Transportation recently issued $12.7 million in grants to eight communities via its Small City Program to support critical road infrastructure improvements that enhance safety, accessibility, and economic development.

[Above photo by Ohio DOT]

The agency said its Small City Program focuses on supporting roadway, safety, and pedestrian projects in cities with populations of between 5,000 and 24,999 people that are not part of a Metropolitan Planning Organization or MPO.

Ohio DOT also noted that those funding awards are supported by the use of Toll Revenue Credits to reduce the local match required by each project sponsor.

“Investing in local communities is critical in keeping Ohio’s infrastructure strong and communities connected,” said Governor Mike DeWine (R) in a statement. “These awards represent Ohio’s continued commitment to supporting the unique needs of our smaller communities across the state.”

[Editor’s note: The Ohio DOT is also wrapping up the four-year $161 million Akron Beltway highway project, designed to provide the City of Akron with a freeway system that is a safer, less congested, and more efficient.]

“The Small City Program is an essential tool for helping communities improve their roads, sidewalks, and safety infrastructure,” added Pamela Boratyn, Ohio DOT director. “Through these grants, we’re providing critical funding to improve transportation infrastructure, enhance safety, and support economic growth.”

Across the country, state departments of transportation provide a wide range of fiscal support to a variety of local transportation projects.

For example, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently broke ground on the Lawrence Manchester Rail Corridor or LMRC improvement project that seeks to turn part of an abandoned rail line into an approximately 1.5-mile shared use path.

The project – which should be completed by the summer of 2028 – also includes rehabilitation of existing LMRC bridges over the Merrimack River and the South Canal, construction of a new bridge over Manchester Street for the shared-use path, and replacement of the Lowell Street bridge with a precast concrete culvert structure.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Kansas Department of Transportation recently awarded funds to support a variety of infrastructure projects at the local level.

New Jersey DOT is supporting the release of $150 million in fiscal year 2026 County Aid from the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund to bolster local road and bridge projects; apportioned based on population and road mileage in each county, with each county selecting the projects that receive funding.

Concurrently, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) issued $25 million to 30 projects to improve local intersections and roads; projects selected for funding by the Kansas Department of Transportation via its City Connecting Link Improvement Program or CCLIP.

And, the Alabama Department of Transportation recently awarded more than $3.7 million in grants to 12 local road projects statewide.

That money comes from the second round of funding made available this year under the Alabama DOT’s Annual Grant Program created by the Rebuild Alabama Act, passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey (R) in 2019.