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On January 6, 2009, the citizen-volunteers of Ohio's 21st Century Transportation Priorities Task Force issued a clear challenge to the Ohio Department of Transportation: "We believe that in the face of economic upheaval, strategic investments in transportation can bring new jobs and help retain the precious ones we already have. By boldly reinventing our transportation system now, we can position Ohio to stimulate and drive the growth of the future."
Under the leadership of Governor Ted Strickland, Ohio has made historic investments in every major mode of our transportation system, with more than $2 billion in construction projects in 2010 and another $2 billion in construction for 2011. As ODOT made history, we also kept an eye on the future. To that end, I am pleased to share with you the first results of the groundbreaking Go OHIO Transportation Futures Plan.
The Go OHIO 2011 Overview Released Today
The Go OHIO 2011 Overview we are releasing today captures some of the cutting-edge analysis performed to better understand the relationship between transportation, economic growth and prosperity in Ohio. In this brief document you will get an overview of Go OHIO's unique insight into future trends that will affect our ability to move people and goods, and better understand what changes need to be made to drive positive growth. You can download the Overview at www.go.ohio.gov. Go OHIO shows where Ohio jobs are today and where they will be tomorrow... where Ohioans live today and where they might choose to live in the future... where transportation investments have made a difference in economic performance today, and where investments could create economic opportunities for growth in the future.
A Blueprint for Best Use of ODOT Resources
Go OHIO offers a blueprint on how best to use ODOT's resources for the highest return on taxpayer dollars. It shows how Ohio can better connect ODOT's work to Ohio's economic engine, recognizing that transportation and the economy are inextricably linked.
Simply put, Go OHIO offers a new way to prioritize investments that will bring Ohio the greatest return on transportation investment. ODOT is the first state transportation department in the U.S. to develop this type of economy-focused, data-driven approach to multi-modal transportation investment in targeted industries.
A Future Planning Tool
In the coming weeks, ODOT will be sharing more of the rich compilation of data and detailed analysis collected as part of the Go OHIO effort. This resource will be invaluable in future planning, land use, and economic development efforts. To ensure that Ohio can take full advantage of this new resource, the data and results are being incorporated into a new Go OHIO planning software tool. I encourage you to learn more by logging on to www.go.ohio.gov.
Transportation has been and will be a driving force behind our state's economic recovery. With your support, we have and can continue to put Ohioans to work, by building transportation projects that are important, will last, and are MOVING OHIO INTO A PROSPEROUS NEW WORLD!
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