New Lake Erie Byway To Boost Tourism, Economy

PartneODOT MapsServes the PeopleStorm WaterSystem TElizabeth Lyons, District 8TOFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERvices is embarking on a three-year, 2.5 million effort to inventoryand map storm water outfalls in urbanized areas around the state. The goal isto stop pollution before it enters Ohio’swaterways.Robert Lang, ODOT environmentalspecialist, said the department will usethe map to work backwards and eventually investigate anything other than stormwater being discharged into its stormwater system, which will help protectworkers and the environment from polluted water.The map is part of ODOT’s StormWater Management Plan (SWMP), whichthe department rolled out in 2003 as partof a federal effortto improve water quality. TheSWMP calls onODOT employees, Ohioans,and visitors to thestate to be part of anationwide plan todecrease pollutionfrom storm waterrunoff.Timothy Hill,administrator ofthe Office of Environmental Services said the SWMPincluded plans toidentify and mapevery point wherestorm water runoff from ODOT’sroads and facilities is collectedand f lows intoHETRANSCRIPT, APRIL/MAY 2005 4streams, lakes and wetlands.“ODOT’s storm water system consists of ditches, swales, pipes, curbs, andcatch basins which are designed to collectand carry storm water,” Hill said. “Themap will allow ODOT to trace a pollutant back to the source and take action toeliminate the pollution.”ODOT employees are encouraged toreport illegal dumping into the stormwater system. An online reportingform is available on ODOT’s intranet ge.htm.Additional information on storm water management is available at: www.dot.state.oh.us/stormwater and www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/storm/reconstruction in the city of Lebanon serves as a model of cooperationand coordination between ODOT and cityleaders to bring a controversial project to asmooth completion.The Lebanon Main Street project calledfor the major widening of the two lane roadway, as well as the upgrade of all sidewalks,curb ramps and the relocation of utilities.This project had been planned since theistearly 1970s, but local citizens resisteddue to concerns regarding the removal of trees and the impact to historicbuildings. Business owners feared theywould lose customers during construction.Residents feared more trucks would usethe expanded street as a shortcut betweenhighways because Main Street is locatedbetween Interstates 75 and 71. Despite thegrowing need for improving the road, citycouncil members continually voted againstthe Main Street project, and before workbegan, residents placed “Just Say No” signsin their yards.When the project finally reached construction, ODOT served as the project manager because it was a federally funded project. When the state began the work in April2002, ODOT District 8 was well aware ithad to be sensitive to theneeds of local residentsduring the constructionof this project.“This project requiredconst r uction th roughresidential, business andhistoric areas of the city,”said Peg Enigk, ODOTproject engineer. “We Cutting the ribbonknew the areas required Main Street projectspecial consideration to rel, project supervispreserve their character plete General Constrand functionality for its mayor of Lebanon,citizens.”project engineer, anODOT held two publicmeetings prior to the sale of the job andfour public meetings throughout the projectto keep people informed of the upcomingschedule of work and to obtain their input8DJoel Hunt, Central OfficeHE RECENTLY COMPLETED M AIN STREET

ershipe of Lebanon Wellon the progress of the construction.Getting different groups to work together was key to the success of the project.When the installment of a new water mainmeant residents would lose water servicestemporarily, ODOT, the city and the contractor (Complete General ConstructionCompany) all shared in the responsibilityof notifying the public.ODOT also took steps to help the community preserve its historic sites as parttricof the project. The nearby Pioneer Cemetery had been experiencing erosionproblems for years. Built in 1799 andthe final resting place for many of thecity’s founders, the tombstones wereliterally sliding down an unstable slope.ODOT worked with the cemetery overseer,giving him headstones for replacement andinstalling an architectural wall to correctthe slide and to enhance the cemetery entrance.Along the way, the attitude of the cityresidents toward the project began tochange. The city of Lebanon actually helda halfway point ribbon-cutting ceremonyfor the project during the summer of 2003.Work progressed, only stopping briefly fora visit from President Bush to speak at theGolden Lamb Inn on May 4, 2004.The city had a final dedication ceremonywhen the project wascompleted in November 2004. According toEnigk, the departmentlearned a great dealduring the construction, such as recordingpre-existing conditions prior to the startof construction andn on the Lebanonbeing open-minded tot; (l. to r.) Corky Barfieldadjustments. But nosor Larry Pipes, Comlessonwas more imporruction, Amy Brewer,tantthanthat of includ, Peg Enigk, ODOTingthepublicin projectnd Buddy Barrel.execution.“The customers in Lebanon are proudof what we did for their city,” said Enigk.“And we accomplished it by working withthem, instead of against them.”t8ODOT Reaches Out to the Public ThroughSafety SummitsRyan Larzelere, Central OfficeTphoto by Elizabeth Lyons, D-8OFFICE OF ROADWAY SAFETY ANDMobility is beginning an unprecedented statewide effort to workwith local communities in identifyingand prioritizing high-crash and dangerous roadway locations for improvements.ODOT is holding a series of workshopsto develop the state’s first ComprehensiveHighway Safety Plan, which aims to savelives and reduce injuries.“The effort is unique because it represents the first comprehensive effort inOhio to combine resources across jurisdictional boundaries of state, county,city, village and township governments,”said Jennifer Townley, administrator forODOT’s Office of Roadway Safety andMobility. “By working together, we hopeto continue the downward trend in deathson Ohio roads.”Ohio has made significant achievements in reducing roadway fatalities. In2003, Ohio had the second largest reduction in fatalities in the nation, decreasingfrom 1,418 in 2002 to 1,277 in 2003. In2004, Ohio experienced a slight rise in fatalities to 1,285 deaths or 1.16 deaths per100 million vehicle miles traveled – stillwell below the national rate of 1.48.Ohio’s ultimate goal is to reduce fatalities to one death per 100 million vehiclemiles traveled by 2008, which could saveabout 300 lives.“I think this goal is very attainable,”said Lorrie Laing, administrator for theGovernor’s Highway Safety Office. “Toget there, it’s going to take a critical review of the data so that we can understandour problems and then collaborate withour partners to determine the best wayto address those problems and implementthe solutions.”HEStatewide Safety SummitsIn 2005, Ohio begun holding a series ofsafety summits in each region of the stateto identify safety problems and brainstorm solutions for all roads, not just statemaintained highways.These summits identify safety champions from each region who commit toworking together in identifying and implementing safety plans that can reducecrashes and fatalities. These safety champions include motorists, business owners,engineers, local metropolitan planningorganizations (MPO), law enforcementand emergency medical and educationprofessionals who have an interest in improving highway safety.Using available data, ODOT and theOhio Department of Public Safety (ODPS)work with local stakeholders to analyzeand identify critical safety improvementopportunities; strategies to address them;and establish targets and time frames toimplement a plan of action. ODOT andODPS are also working to leverage resources to maximize the funding available to achieve the planning goals.“We encourage people to think outsidethe box and look at a variety of solutionsto address problems,” said Townley. “It’snot just about seeking engineering solutions to roadway safety problems, but alsolooking at how we can change motoristbehavior through education and enforcement efforts. We’re also strengtheningour partnerships with Emergency Medical Services officials who have a uniqueperspective on serious crashes and howthey can be prevented.”One plan of action is already underway in the city of Lima. As a result of arecent safety summit with the local MPO,ODOT worked with local partners to fund 235,000 in low-cost, short-term safetyimprovements on local roads. Another 2.6 million in local engineering, education and enforcement initiatives may befunded through the workshop process.“We can reach far greater achievements by working together in this process,” Townley said. “While we maynever completely eliminate all roadwaycrashes, this new partnership will makedriving safer for thousands of Ohioans.”By summer 2006, ODOT intends tocomplete workshops in all the MPO areasand develop plans for all regions of thestate.TRANSCRIPT, APRIL/MAY 2005 5

ROAD REVIEW:National Studies Give Ohio Top RankingRon Poole, Central OfficeTWO RECENT NATIONAL STUDIES HAVEshown that Ohio has not only madesignificant improvements to its infrastructure, but is also one of the topranking states in the nation.Professor David T. Hartgen of theUniversity of North Carolina recentlycompleted his 14th annual review of statehighways. Hartgen tracked the progressmade in highway improvements underTEA-21— the six-year federal U.S. transportation program passed in 1998. From1998 to 2003, the state-administered U.S.highway system improved sharply on sixof seven key indicators of performance,such as rural highways and bridge conditions. Only one indicator, urban interstatecongestion, was worse in 2003.Ohio closely followed the nation’sprogress and was among the top statesin some categories. Ohio tied severalother states for the number one rank inrural interstate pavement conditions andplaced in the top 10 for urban interstatepavement conditions and for the lowestfatality rate.In a more detailed national study, Governing Magazine rated Ohio as one of thetop states in the nation and praised manyof ODOT’s core business practices. Theranking came from the results of the 2004Government Performance Project (GPP).The article, Grading the States 2005,serves as a report card on Ohio’s stategovernment and studies key managementareas of all state agencies such as money,people, information and infrastructure.The infrastructure portion includedschool facilities, state buildings and statehighways and included information predominately provided by ODOT.Ohio received an overall grade of2003 Comparison of States’ Fatalities Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles ticutNew HampshireNew JerseyWashingtonNew YorkIndianaOHIOMarylandMinnesotaVirginiaRhode IslandMichiganUtahCaliforniaIllinoisMaineNorth rgiaPennsylvaniaNebraskaDelawareDist. of ColumbiaNorth issouriNevadaNew MexicoAlaskaWest VirginiaKentuckySouth uth DakotaMontana0.000.50TRANSCRIPT, APRIL/MAY 2005 41.571.611.631.641.641.711.711.731.791.81Ohio – 1.17U.S. Average – 002.322.382.412.50B and a grade of A- for infrastructure.In overall grades, only six states wereranked higher than Ohio and 12 otherstates received an equal grade.For infrastructure, Ohio was onlysurpassed by one state, Utah, and twoother states received equal grades, placing Ohio in the top sixth percentile of thenation. In the analysis, ODOT is creditedwith completing a major restructuring,developing a detailed strategic planningprocess and adopting comprehensive performance measures to track the conditionof the state transportation system. Thearticle attributes improvements such asa continuous and methodical reductionof pavement and bridge deficiencies andan overall reduction of roadway fatalitiesto these efforts.All facets of ODOT’s core businessfunctions were identified as strengthsfrom long-range capital planning andbudgeting to project development andsystem maintenance. Grading the States2005 highlights ODOT’s ability to successfully track system conditions viathe department’s Organizational Performance Index (OPI) and credits the statewith using this competent administrationto successfully achieve a six-cent gas taxincrease during a time of economic recession. Overall, ODOT received high marksfor the department’s long-range planning,intergovernmental coordination and theestablishment of a clear linkage betweenmanagerial action and program results.The full report can be viewed on theGPP Web site at: http://results.gpponline.org/

Staying Alerta weapon against terrorismincident information to a trained operator at the Highway Watch Call Center.Once the operator verifies the volunteer’sFEDERALLY-FUNDED PROGRAM DEidentity using the identification numbersigned to help highway profesand location, the report is then routed tosionals monitor the transportathe appropriate law enforcement authorition system for potential threats is nowties in that area. Information from allavailable through local channels. Thisvolunteers is also routed to the HighwayMarch and April, the Local TransportaInformation Sharing and Analysis Cention Assistance Program (LTAP) withter, a nationwide team of trained and exCentral Office, sponsored seminars forperienced security professionals who colHighway Watch – the federal transportalect, analyzetion sector’s national safety and securityand respondprogram.to incidents“Highway Watch is designed to raisewhich mightawareness and help citizens, motorists,pose a threatroad maintenance workers and law ento nat ionalforcement security.personnelWo o l u mrecognizeserves as anand reinstructor forp o r tthe half-day workshop, whichunusualalso issues follow-up materials.activiHis students are varied in theirties onbackgrounds, but united in theirour nation’s highways,” saidcommitment to help.Larry Woolum, director of“I thought it was a goodRegulatory Affairs with thecourse,” said James Buckson, aOhio Trucking Associationmobility and traffic operations(OTA) and the state coordiengineer with the Federal Highnator for Highway Watch.way Administration. “It makes“The program has beensense for anyone out on the roadaround for many years, andregularly to learn to be aware.was originally intended to help peoIt’s a good investment of a halfple deal with roadway events otherday.”than accidents. Now it has taken on Ohio Trucking Association Director of Regulatory AfODOT LTAP hosted two Highthis new and most important mis- fairs Larry Woolum leads the Highway Watch trainingway Watch workshops – one in Cosion.”of law-enforcement and highway maintenance perlumbus and one in Elyria in MarchVolunteers for Highway Watch sonnel at the OKI Regional Council of Governmentsand a third session in Cincinnati inare trained by security profession- Offices in Cincinatti on April 26.April. Highway Watch instructionals, law enforcement and other expert personnel in observational skills. also includes how to make reports to prop- is available to ODOT members as well asThe goal is to prepare anyone to recog- er authorities. Upon training completion, to members of Ohio’s local agencies andnize and note potential safety and secu- volunteers are each assigned individual communities upon request. There is nority threats, such as stranded or out of identification numbers and given the charge for the half-day sessions. Anyoneplace vehicles or actions by individuals number for a special Highway Watch hot interested in hosting a session and/or volthat seem odd in their surroundings. The line. In the event they observe something unteering for the program should contactprogram also trains people to avoid be- worth reporting, a volunteer will use the Larry Woolum or Tom Lawler of OTA at:coming a target of terrorists and to spot hot line to provide precise location and 1-888-382-1574.Ron Poole, Central OfficeAa terrorist threat to others.“We train people to notice behavior,not appearances,” said Woolum. “Highway professionals, like members of roadcrews, do not have to be told what is out ofthe ordinary in their environment – theyknow that already. We teach them not todismiss what they see and give them thetools to determine if what they observeis a threat.”Part of the training for Highway Watchphotos by Leonard Brown, Central OfficeTRANSCRIPT, APRIL/MAY 2005 7

Ohio Scenic BywaysAmong otheractivities andsites offered byOhio’s byways, travelers can enter theAmish County Bywayalong the same corridor as the first Amishsettlers did in 1808. They can witness evidence of the ancient Adena culture illustrating man’s inhabitance of the many recesses alongthe Hocking Hills Scenic Bywaymore than 7,000 years ago. In Gallia County, visitors can experiencethe rolling hills of the Welsh ScenicByway, which provides glimpsesof rural life and the area of Raccoon Creek where Daniel Boonehunted and trapped.ODOT’s Ohio Scenic Byway program is part of the National Scenic Byways Program, which wasestablished in 1991. It is administered by the Federal Highway Administration. For more information about Ohio’s byways, visit:www.ohiobyways.com.ters detailing the rich heritageof the communities along theroute.“Of the many beautiful roadsin Ohio, an Ohio Scenic Bywayis a road deserving special recognition because of its importance to the state. I cannot thinkof a more qualified road than theLake Erie Coastal Trail,” saidODOT Director Gordon Proctor.ODOT’s Ohio Scenic BywayProgram, created in 1994, contains more than 1,500 miles ofscenic byways across the state.It is a grassroots-driven programthat highlights historic, scenic,natural, recreational, culturaland archaeological resourcesalong Ohio’s roadways.image courtesy of Lake Erie Coastal OhioERIE BYWAY (from page 1)OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION1980 W. BROAD ST.COLUMBUS, OHIO 43223(614) 466-7170 (FAX) 644-8662Visit our Web site athttp://www.dot.state.oh.usBob Taft,GovernorGordon Proctor,ODOT DirectorOFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONSLindsay Mendicino, EditorAndy Eline, Layout/Design EditorPRINTED BY THE ODOT PRINT SHOPODOT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERMarblehead Lighthouse, along the new LakeErie Coastal Trail Scenic Byway.TRANSCRIPT, APRIL/MAY 2005 8

Governor Bob Taft and ODOT Direc-tor Gordon Proctor designated the Lake Erie Coastal Trail as the state’s 21 scenic byway on April 22. They were joined by members of Lake Erie Coastal Ohio and representatives from communities across northern Ohio. “Lake Erie is one of Ohio’s most pre-cious and unique natural resources,” said