ODOT Director Warns Of “Impending Crisis”

(ONN) – Ohio’s transportation director says the state’s lack of money for road maintenance is an “impending crisis.”

ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks says your daily commute will get worse, because crews can’t fix the streets.

Governor DeWine will introduce his first transportation budget later this month.

DeWine and lawmakers are facing a budget where contracts are decreasing $1.5 billion by 2020.

Marchbanks says years of flat revenue from the gas tax, rising highway construction costs and huge debt payments have put ODOT in a grim financial situation.

He says the state transportation department has already cut costs, but without new money, the state can’t maintain the roads.

Governor DeWine recently told Canton’s Morning News that finding funding for road projects is a conversation they will have to have with taxpayers.