Interviewed: Jerry Wray, Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation

Excerpts of an interview with Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jerry Wray, who spoke candidly about the state's role in maintaining and building transportation projects in Cincinnati and around the state of Ohio.

1 minute read

August 27, 2015, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Ohio’s top transportation official, Department of Transportation Director Jerry Wray, spoke with the editorial board of the Cincinnati Enquirer recently. The publication presents excerpts from that conversation on "five hot topics": mass transit, the Brent Spence Bridge, the Eastern Corridor, reauthorization of the federal transportation bill, and "who controls the transportation purse strings."

The excerpts include a few hot buttons, to be sure, including this statement from the "mass transit" excerpt: "Speaking for myself, not the governor, we should be responding to the public need and to some degree public want. We shouldn’t be doing social engineering. We shouldn’t try to force people onto a highway, nor should we try to force people into a bus or onto a train." Interestingly, Wray returns to the social engineering trope when discussing transportation funding in calling for more state control over state transportation decisions.

Regarding the Brent Spence Bridge (which made news recently dude to concerns in the business community about EPA smog rules), Wray offers another interesting insight: "Wherever you are in the country these days if you’re going to build a project this size it’s going to involve tolls."

Tuesday, August 25, 2015 in Cincinnati Enquirer

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.