Ohio is gearing up for a serious safety makeover on its roads, with state officials signing off on about $72.1 million for 33 projects spread across 23 counties. The cash will back new roundabouts, intersection upgrades, sidewalks, and high-visibility crosswalks that state leaders say are meant to cut down on fatal and serious-injury crashes.
Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation rolled out the funding package this week, confirming that roughly $72.1 million will be divided among 33 projects in 23 counties as part of ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program. The money will cover both state and local work, and officials described the selection process as a data-driven push to reduce crashes, according to Cleveland.com.
The plan is split into 13 intersection-focused safety projects totaling $46.8 million and 20 pedestrian and roadway-departure projects totaling $25.3 million, figures cited by The News & Sentinel. The work is scheduled to be funded in state fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and features a mix of roundabouts, new turn lanes, and pedestrian infrastructure, with specific construction timetables set to vary from community to community as each project moves from design to the field.
Some of the biggest single-ticket items include a $5.6 million roundabout in Trumbull County, a $5.4 million roundabout in Delaware County, and a $5.2 million roundabout in Sandusky County. Franklin County is in line for a $5.1 million roundabout. The city of North Ridgeville is set to get nearly $1.9 million for sidewalks and systemic pedestrian safety upgrades. Smaller awards include $250,000 for pedestrian improvements in the city of Lorain and a $3.4 million roundabout at State Route 301 and Parsons Road in Lorain County, with certain projects not expected to reach construction until fiscal 2032, according to Cleveland.com.
What the awards aim to do
ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program zeroes in on corridors and intersections where crashes keep happening even after earlier fixes, then leans on proven tools like roundabouts, clearer signage and pavement markings, turn lanes, and high-visibility crosswalks. "Every single investment we make in our transportation network is an investment in the safety of the people who use it," ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn said in the release cited by The News & Sentinel. State officials say the combined focus on intersections and pedestrian safety is intended to chip away at both fatal and serious-injury crashes over time.
How this builds on earlier rounds
The new batch of projects follows a larger announcement in January, when the DeWine administration and ODOT committed roughly $97.2 million for 39 safety projects across 27 counties, part of an ongoing HSIP push that roughly $97.2 million for 39 safety projects detailed earlier this year. At the time, state leaders credited that investment with helping sustain several consecutive years of declines in roadway fatalities and serious injuries, and said the newly announced awards are meant to keep that momentum going. Planners argue that these targeted fixes are a relatively quick and cost-effective way to dial down risk at known crash hot spots.
Local governments will now coordinate with ODOT on final designs and schedules, with construction expected to roll out in phases over the coming years. For residents in communities slated for a new roundabout, upgraded intersection, or fresh pedestrian improvements, the awards mark a concrete path toward safer streets and, officials hope, fewer catastrophic crashes in the long run.
