Ohio Budget Could Fund Rural Roads, Ban Center Bike Lanes

Ohio’s proposed state transportation budget calls for $1 billion in rural road funding while also banning mid-road bikeways, such as the Superior Midway planned in Cleveland. As Jeremy Pelzer reports in The Plain Dealer, the bill, HB23, “would give 80% of the $1 billion to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for rural highway construction projects. The remaining 20% would be offered to local governments to use as matching funds for state highway money.”

The bikeway ban, which would apply to cities with populations of 300,000 or more and prohibit bikeways in the middle of roads or highways, was proposed by State Representative Tom Patton, who says “he’s heard complaints expressed by businesses along Superior Avenue that they will no longer be able to make left turns, as well as safety concerns made by the Ohio Trucking Association that the bike lane will make deliveries ‘very challenging in some places.’” The Superior Midway was approved by the Cleveland City Council last month and was scheduled to begin construction in May 2025.

The plan also proposes banning traffic cameras, which are opposed by many Republicans in the state.