November 14, 2007
Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Cincinnati) announced today that he has worked to secure federal funding for a number of important local transportation projects. Funding for the projects is included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act conference report which is expected to pass the House today.
Included in the conference report is $500,000 Chabot requested for the relocation and engineering of a fly-over exit from I-75 North to Galbraith Road. As a part of the “Thru the Valley” project to widen and improve portions of I-75, the Ohio Department of Transportation recommended closing the left-hand exit at Galbraith Road. Chabot joined with many local communities to oppose the closure which would have limited access to Wyoming, Reading, Springfield Township, Arlington Heights, Lockland, and Hartwell. In response, ODOT later devised a plan to replace the left-hand exit at Galbraith Road with a right-hand fly-over exit.
Chabot also secured $200,000 for a transit / park and ride study for Price Hill. The funds will go to the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) to conduct a feasibility study and preliminary engineering for the project. Congressman Chabot has been working with Price Hill residents and business leaders in an effort to help revitalize the West Price Hill business district and provide convenient and safe access to public transportation. The study is expected to look at ways to improve mobility between Price Hill, downtown Cincinnati, the Uptown area and other neighborhoods.
In addition, $750,000 was included in the legislation at Chabot’s request for the study and design of improvements to the I-71 / Martin Luther King Drive interchange. Chabot has been working to improve transportation access to the Uptown area which includes the University of Cincinnati and several of the region’s largest employers.
