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YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning Valley government and public transportation officials met with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown to seek support for federal dollars for three major infrastructure projects.
“My job is to make sure Ohio gets not just its fair share but better than its fair share” of the funding from the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure law, said Brown, D-Cleveland, on Friday after the presentations at the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments’ office in Youngstown.
The three projects are:
l A $24.7 million Logistics Innovation and Vehicle Electrification Zone in and around Lordstown and North Jackson.
The infrastructure initiative would focus on an automated transfer yard for containers and triple trailers at the Ohio Turnpike’s Lordstown interchange, solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations and a broadband fiber optic and wireless communication devices.
The project would grow the region’s clean energy economy, creating 14,340 permanent jobs, proponents say.
l Youngstown Equitable and Sustainable Streets Initiative on the city’s East Side.
The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments is seeking $400,000 for a study to develop a 1.5-mile road and an enhanced 2.6-mile segment of U.S. Route 62 / state Route 7 to connect downtown Youngstown, through the city’s East Side, with a new interchange on Interstate 80 at state Route 304 in Trumbull County.
The East Side has about 2,000 acres of shovel-ready sites, said Emil Liszniasky of Eastgate.
The goal is to create about 4,860 new jobs, he said.
l The Lake to River Regional Backbone Fiber Expansion, a high-speed broadband program for Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties.
The project would install about 100 miles of high-speed fiber line along state Route 11, said Mark Ragozine of Eastgate.
It would serve more than 620,000 residents in the area, many who don’t have access to high-speed internet, he said.
“I can’t guarantee any of these will be funded,” Brown said. “I can guarantee that they will have their strongest advocate” in me. “I want to see the best we can do in terms of job creation.”
Brown said the infrastructure law, approved last year, is key to growing the economy and helping with key investments in communities. He said he wants Ohio communities to be prepared to obtain as much federal funding through the law as possible.
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