MEMBER NEWS Ohio Lake Erie Commission

Paul Toth, president and CEO of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, was recently selected by Ohio Governor John Kasich as one of four new appointees to serve on the Ohio Lake Erie Commission (OLEC).

“I’m very excited and grateful to begin serving on the Ohio Lake Erie Commission,” said Mr. Toth. “The goals of the OLEC and the goals of the Port Authority are in perfect alignment. Both value Lake Erie as an irreplaceable resource that provides environmental and economic benefits to northwest Ohio. The Port Authority has a history of implementing the best environmental practices by successfully cleaning up brownfield sites and implementing energy efficient projects throughout the region, and is dedicated to improving our community’s quality of life.”

Among other duties, the commission oversees the management of the Lake Erie Protection Fund. Commissioners coordinate state and local policies pertaining to Lake Erie water quality, pollution control, and resource protection. They make recommendations about policies for protection of the lake resources that are consistent with the Great Lakes water quality agreement.

TIP Applications Due Jan. 31, 2014

The fiscal year 2014 -2017 Transportation Improvement Program (the TIP) has been approved by the state of Ohio and TMACOG is accepting applications from communities in Lucas and Wood counties to fill the project pipeline for the next two to three years. Applications for Surface Transportation Program (STP) projects are due January 31, 2014.

See the project budget detail form and print the application package here  (Word and PDF formats provided). For more information, contact TMACOG Transportation Project Manager David Gedeon at 419.241.9155 ext. 125.

Ohio Commended For Road Safety

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has awarded the 2013 Safety Leadership Award to the state of Ohio. The award was presented to ODOT Director Jerry Wray at the AASHTO annual meeting in Colorado.  Ohio leaders have been commended for their commitment to studying road use and crash data and to partnership with local governments and organizations across Ohio. These partnerships – including with MPOs like TMACOG – have led to cost-effective improvements that have contributed to record-law crashes. Over the past decade, Ohio traffic-related deaths have dropped by 28 percent and serious injuries have dropped by 20 percent. This year, Ohio may reach a new historic low by dipping below 1,000 traffic fatalities statewide.

TMACOG recently completed the Safety Locations and Measures Report for Lucas and Wood counties and southern Monroe County, Michigan. It shows that fatal crashes in the TMACOG planning area have consistently been less than Ohio statewide averages. Serious injury and fatal crash rates have also been holding steady or trending down over the past several years. TMACOG’s Safety Locations and Measures Report is a collection and analysis of crash data that is used by regional planners and engineers. TMACOG’s System Performance and Monitoring committee uses the report to select specific highway locations where safety measures are recommended for implementation.

Portage River Plan Endorsed

The Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Natural Resources have announced their full endorsement of the Portage River Watershed Action Plan Update. The updated plan, completed by the TMACOG Environmental Planning department in early 2013, expanded the original 2012 study area from nine hydrologic unit codes (HUCs) to the entire river basin: 18 HUCs.

An endorsed watershed plan is a critical tool for groups working to protect public health and improve water quality. Watershed plans are recognized by state and federal regulators as primary planning documents and projects based on such plans receive preferential funding. The plan is posted on the Portage River Basin Council pages of tmacog.org here. TMACOG’s Executive Committee and Board of Trustees will review and evaluate the Portage River plan at their regularly scheduled meetings.

Clean Ohio Applicants Urged to Attend

Local governments, park districts, and non-profit organizations in Lucas County that plan to apply for grants from the Clean Ohio Fund are strongly encouraged to attend an informational meeting December 18 at 10 a.m. at TMACOG offices. This round of grants will allocate $1,268,954 for open space acquisition and preservation.

At the December 18 meeting, members of the Lucas County Natural Resources Assistance Council (NRAC) will explain the program and its goals and answer questions about the evaluation process. Applicants are encouraged to offer tours of their project sites for council members as part of the process.

Application forms and program information can also be found on the TMACOG website here. For questions contact, Kurt Erichsen, TMACOG vice president of Environmental Planning and NRAC District 12 Liaison, at 419.241.9155 ext. 126.

The deadline for completed applications is 5 p.m. on March 12, 2014.  Applications should be submitted to TMACOG. All applicants will be notified of NRAC’s recommendation by April 30, 2014.

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Annual TMACOG General Assembly

All TMACOG members are invited to attend the annual General Assembly Wednesday, January 29, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg, to elect leadership, participate in caucus sessions, and choose committee assignments. Our keynote speaker, Dan Anderson of The Andersons, will speak about Agri-business and its local, regional, and global impact. See details and agenda after the jump. 

Ohio Long Range Plan – Comments Invited

ODOT has completed a draft of Access Ohio 2040, the state’s new long range transportation plan. Interested people can view the 11 recommendations that will guide ODOT policies and strategies in the coming years and provide comments and suggestions. See the plan and leave comments at www.accessohio2040.