(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Concord Township) said the six-year, $286.5 billion highway and transit bill contains more than $55 million in federal funding for dozens of projects in his district and Northeast Ohio.  The measure, which was approved this morning in the House of Representatives by a vote of 412-8, will also provide funding to create the state’s first University Transportation Center at Cleveland State University.

 The Transportation Enhancement Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU), H.R. 3, will authorize highway and transit programs for the next six years.  LaTourette said about 47,500 jobs can be generated by each $1 billion spent on transportation, and thousands of jobs will be created in Ohio.  The bill was earlier approved by huge margins in both the House and Senate and today’s version reconciles differences between the two bills.  It is expected to pass the Senate today or tomorrow and then go to President Bush for his signature.

 LaTourette said local community leaders approached him with many good requests, and he sought to obtain funding for as many as possible.  LaTourette, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Railroads, is the only Ohioan on the panel from Northeast Ohio.

 In addition to funds for dozens of local projects, LaTourette successfully had Cleveland State named as the site of the state’s first University Transportation Center.  About 30 other centers exist at colleges and universities across the country.  The center will receive $2 million in funding in four annual installments of $500,000.

 LaTourette said education is a primary objective of all university transportation centers and each center operates under a theme.  After extensive discussions with representatives of the heavy highway construction industry and the Ohio Department of Transportation, a theme was chosen for the center at CSU – “Work Zone Safety.”   

 “Drivers frequently ignore reduced speed limits in construction work zones and often drive in an unsafe manner, endangering themselves and our highway workers,” LaTourette said, adding that in 2004, there were nearly 6,400 work zone crashes in Ohio with 2,250 injuries and 14 deaths.  In 2003, there were more than 7,400 work zone crashes with more than 2,500 injuries and 16 deaths, including two ODOT workers.

 “I’ve been pushing for this center at Cleveland State for several years so it’s great to see it come to fruition,” LaTourette said.  “The only opportunity to add centers is through the highway bill so this really is welcome news for Cleveland State, ODOT and the state of Ohio.”

 The bill also includes “Buy America” language authored by LaTourette that requires the use of U.S. steel or iron for transportation construction projects.

 “If we’re going to build roads, bridges and parks in America we should do so with American products and American jobs,” LaTourette said.

 Here is list of projects secured by LaTourette in the bill, by county:

Lake County:
• Interchange and related road improvements to SR 44 in Painesville – $2 M
• Streetscaping, bicycle trails and related improvements to the I-90/State Route 615 interchange in Mentor –  $3.6 M
• Construction of bicycle trails by Lake Metroparks– $2.4 M
• Planning and construction of a series of recreational trails in Perry Township – $760,000
• Bicycle paths for the Magic Mile in Willoughby – $640,000
• Perry Park Road improvements and pedestrian trail expansion at Call Road in Perry Village – $53,600
• Streetscape and related safety improvements to US 20 in Painesville Township – $280,000
• Construction and repair of pedestrian walkways along Lake Shore Boulevard in Lakeline  – $231,000
• Bridge replacement at SR 84 and I-90 in Willoughby Hills – $400,000
• Construction of a transit facility to improve access and traffic at Eastlake Stadium – $4.153 M
• Road and related pedestrian improvements at SR 283 in Grand River – $80,000
• Construct highway rail crossing safety upgrades at three locations in Madison Village – $300,000
• Mentor Marsh pedestrian trails – $560,000
• Mentor-on-the-Lake, Andrews Road improvements – $240,000

Geauga County:
• Purchase of right-of-way for transportation enhancement activities in Bainbridge Township– $1.44 M
• Construction of bicycle path extension in Geauga County Park District in Chardon – $400,000
• Intersection improvements and related road improvements in Chardon – $489,600
• Construction of safety improvements at intersection of US 422 and SR 700 in Geauga County – $240,000
• Construction and safety improvements to county roadways in Geauga County – $456,000
• Improvements to Hubbard Road in Burton Township - $456,000
• Improvements on old SR 608 in Middlefield – $80,000

Cuyahoga County:
• Improvements of all major roads in Bentleyville, including Cannon Road, Solon Road and Chagrin River Road, and improvements for pedestrian safety and traffic flow – $560,000
• Reconstruction, widening improvements on Pettibone Road in Solon – $2.4 M
• Intersection improvements at Highland and Bishop roads in Highland Heights – $489,600
• Transportation enhancements to the downtown area of Chagrin Falls – $560,000
• Road construction and related improvements in Gates Mills –– $400,000
• Construction of road improvements from Richmond Road to Cuyahoga Community College in Warrensville Heights – $120,000
• Construction of Intermodal Facility at University Circle in Cleveland  – $7.106 M
• Construction of and related improvements to an Intermodal Facility at East 93rd Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland – $7.106 M
• Construction of Intermodal Facility and related improvements at University Hospitals facility on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland  – $3.762 M
• Cleveland Port Authority road improvements – $2.5 M
• Transit improvements – $125,400

Ashtabula County:
• Ashtabula County MetroParks completion of bike trails –  $800,000
• Ashtabula Harbor infrastructure improvements as part of the Revitalization Project on SR 531 in Ashtabula County – $800,000

Summit County:
• State Route 8 improvements in northern Summit County –– $3 M
• Construction of access road along east side of SR 8 in Summit County – $800,000
• Construction of interchange at SR 8 and Seasons Road in Stow –– $1.2 M
• Improvements to State Route 91 in Twinsburg – $1.56 M
• Road widening and related improvements to SR 82 in Macedonia –  $2.728 M
• Bicycle/pedestrian trails and service road construction at historic Gate Lodge at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron – $144,000
• Construction of transit access and related pedestrian improvements on West Market in Akron – $543,000
• Highway-rail grade separation over the Norfolk Southern Rail Line for Hines Hill Road – Milford Connector Project – $240,000
• Construction of Cascade Locks bike path in Akron – $760,000
• Glenwood Road improvements in Reminderville – $1.5 M
• Reconstruct and improve access roads to Cuyahoga Valley National Park – $400,000

Portage County:
• Purchase of right-of-ways for construction of pedestrian and bicycle improvements in Aurora – $400,000.

Trumbull County:
• Construction of safety and related improvements on Rutledge Transfer Road in Vernon Township - $96,000.

 LaTourette said he consulted with Sens. Voinovich and DeWine about projects of importance to the area and they agreed to add Senate funds to several projects.  For example, Sen. Voinovich secured an additional $2.6 million for State Route 8 improvements in Summit County, an extra $400,000 for the State Route 44 Interchange in Lake County, and $2.8 million more for the Seasons Road project in Summit County.  Sen. DeWine was able to secure an extra $108,000 for rail crossings in Madison Village and an extra $60,000 for a rail crossing in Hudson.