Funding awarded for local transportation programs

State Rep. Haraz N. Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, announced funding for areas throughout Wood County to support local transit amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Controlling Board approved the measure at Monday’s meeting.

Wood County is schedule to receive the following allocations:

·         Rural Transit Traditional, City of Bowling Green – $676,530

·         Mobility Management, GLCAP of Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa, Erie, Seneca, Huron – $334,674

“This is another example of the close collaboration between our state and federal partners,” said Ghanbari. “Our communities are being granted sources of revenue to help with the impact of COVID-19. In this case the funding is being used to help support our local transit within Wood County.”

The board approved a request from the Ohio Department of Transportation to increase the appropriation authority of $81.9 million from the CARES Act. As a result, these funds are scheduled to be dispersed through the Federal Transit Administration and then allocated across the state through ODOT’s Office of Transit.

The funding will help cover current transit operating expenses related to the coronavirus and includes the purchase of personal protective equipment. With the addition of the $81.9 million in transit, this brings this federal funding source appropriation total for public transportation to $146.8 million to be distributed throughout Ohio.