Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights) today introduced a bill, Senate Bill 269, to assist local communities in their efforts to repair Ohio roads following the winter season.

“This winter has been brutal and that means potholes have popped up all over Ohio roads,” said Senator Yuko. “I’m hearing from constituents and seeing on the news nearly every day that there is a big problem with filling potholes in our communities – like on Euclid Avenue in East Cleveland and on Harvard Road in Cleveland’s Ward 1. Budgets are tight and many of our local governments don’t have the resources to fix our roads fast enough. The state needs to step in and lend a hand so we can ensure Ohio drivers are safe.”

The bill would provide a one-time, $30 million award to be distributed to counties, municipalities and townships from Ohio’s $2.03 billion Rainy Day Fund. If the bill is passed, funding for communities would be available immediately.

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2017 Infrastructure Report Card found that Ohio drivers spend an average of $475 per year on costs related to driving on roads that need repairs. AAA reported earlier this year that pothole damage costs U.S. drivers $3 billion annually.

“Our local communities need this one-time funding award to help us get through the rest of the winter,” continued Yuko. “But we need a long-term solution to fix Ohio’s crumbling roads. And I am working on another, more comprehensive bill to get our roads back in shape. It’s critical for our drivers, but also for our economy, which relies on a state-of-the-art road system in order to do business.”