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Changes on Horizon for Turnpike
More State Troopers To Be Hired, Flat Fees During Strike
Dusty M. Bastian/Assistant Editor
dusty_bastian@pipeline.owens.edu
Governor Bob Taft recently announced strategies to improve safety by
reducing truck traffic on routes parallel to the Ohio Turnpike.
“My tour of routes parallel to the Turnpike in northern Ohio provided
a dramatic look at the heavy congestion and safety hazards caused by trucks
avoiding the Turnpike,” said Taft. “The Northern Ohio Freight
Plan will improve safety and mobility throughout the region by moving
trucks to the Turnpike and reducing traffic on the smaller routes.”
According to a press release, Governor Taft’s plan includes lower
Turnpike tolls for commercial trucks, an increase in truck weight, and
an increase in speed limits. Taft announced the Turnpike toll reduction
for commercial trucks is expected to begin on or before February 2005.
This will be on a trial basis for the next 18 months.
In addition, ODOT will pay for 25 new State Highway Troopers, which is
expected to cost $2.5 million initially. ODOT and the Patrol will monitor
crash patterns on the Turnpike and the adjacent routes during the trial
period to determine the effect these changes have to overall northern
Ohio accident trends.
“Our highway network is essential to our state’s economy,”
said Taft. “However, to ensure this economy remains vibrant and
motorists traveling through northern Ohio are safe, it is vital we reduce
the truck traffic volumes that routes parallel to the Turnpike are experiencing.”
With these new changes come threats that turnpike workers may go on strike
as early as January 21. This would be the first occurrence of a strike
since the turnpike opened in 1995.
The three-year contract for 704 toll takers and 293 maintenance workers
expired Dec. 31, but Teamsters Local 436, which represents the workers,
agreed to extend it to Jan. 17. Gary Tiboni, who is the president of Local
436, gave the turnpike commission notice of a possible strike after workers
rejected a fact finder’s report on Tuesday.
The turnpike commission has authorized the use of flat toll rates if there
is a strike. The price to drive on the state’s only toll road would
be $1 for a car and $5 for a bus or small truck, regardless of distance.