O.D.O.T. updates Commissioners on Budget

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Muskingum County Commissioners learned about Ohio’s Infrastructure Investment in the last six years.

Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 5 Deputy Director Sonja Simpson updated the commissioners on how Ohio has reached record-breaking capital budgets to use in maintaining and replacing. The last six years O.D.O.T. has had a budget of $2 billion a year.

Photo By: Karysa Kent

“We are in a really good place, we’ve invested wisely, Simpson said. “We’ve found ways in best practices to stretch those dollars that we have, so that we have a high quality infrastructure.”

Simpson explained at the end of this administration the total investment for eight years will be about $16 billion.

“All the states are in that place where they’re looking for more financial resources,” Simpson said. “There have been a lot of talk on doing things including raising taxes, but all of the $16 billion that will have been invested over the last eight years total, in another two years, will have been done without raising taxes.”

Apart of the budget is an investment of $31 million worth of work in Muskingum County.

“So everything from culverts, some bridge work, and bridge replacements,” Simpson said. “So you’ll see some work, you’ll see some action, and you’ll see some orange barrels. It’s not always a welcomed site, but it’s a sign of progress, it’s a sign of investment and that’s what we’re doing in the Muskingum County.”

The bridges in Muskingum County still have safe conditions, however O.D.O.T. will be working on maintaining them for the future. According to Simpson Ohio has always had a higher inspection rate than other states and the local bridges are inspected regularly.