Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks announced June 2 that the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will dedicate nearly $28 million to support local projects to repair, replace or demolish 24 aging bridges in Ohio.

Funding from the Municipal Bridge Program has been allotted to support the total replacement of 16 bridges, the repair of four bridges and the demolition of four bridges. Although ODOT considers the 20 bridges being repaired/replaced safe for traffic, significant improvements are necessary to ensure that the structures do not become dangerous in the future. The four bridges that will be demolished have each been out of use for several years.

"Providing this funding is another example of how the state can work to support our communities to ensure that local transportation infrastructure is safe for those traveling on our roads and bridges," said DeWine. "By repairing and replacing these bridges, we can better ensure the safety of travelers in the future."

ODOT's Municipal Bridge Program provides funding to municipalities, metro parks and regional transit agencies for bridge projects. Last year, Gov. DeWine increased Ohio's yearly funding allocation for the program from $11.5 to $18.5 million. The grants announced also are funded with additional support from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Bridge Formula Program and with money left over from previous rounds of the Municipal Bridge Program.

Grants will pay for up to 95 percent of the eligible costs for bridge construction and inspection. Design costs for this year's projects may also be funded by the grant awards.

"Previously, the Municipal Bridge Program was only able to pay for a percentage of construction cost. Now, we are also able to cover up to 100 percent of the design costs," said Marchbanks. "The additional funding provided to this program from the Bridge Formula Program will certainly help the municipalities that may not have the money for design work on these much-needed projects."

Projects that receive funding as part of ODOT's Municipal Bridge Program are selected based on committee recommendations and a scoring system. A funding limit of $2 million is set per project, and a local match is required for construction projects.

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