ODOT touts Historic Construction Season at 2010 Ohio State Fair
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation visits on Opening Day to highlight Recovery Act

COLUMBUS (Wednesday, July 28, 2010) - The Ohio Department of Transportation’s orange barrels - a symbol of the state’s summer construction season - are joining the butter cow and the prize animals of one of the largest junior fair shows in the nation at the 2010 Ohio State Fair.

Starting today in the fair’s Marketplace building, ODOT is commemorating its historic construction season - with more than $2 billion invested into construction projects this season.

“As we mark the historic $2 billion end of state fiscal year 2010, Team ODOT now prepares for a second $2 billion investment for state fiscal year 2011,” said ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris. “We think this accomplishment is something Ohioans should be proud of. Through these investments, we are creating a true 21st Century multi-modal transportation system.”

Joining ODOT Director Molitoris for the opening of ODOT’s exhibit was U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation John Porcari, who talked about the unprecedented federal investments made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including $53 billion invested in rural America.

Each year, the Ohio State Fair is a showcase for the state’s agricultural accomplishments. Since 1912, ODOT has also been a staple at the fair, highlighting the state’s transportation progression and efforts to make travel safer and more environmentally-friendly.

ODOT will be reaching out to Ohio’s younger drivers who visit the fair - drivers between the ages of 16-25 - by asking them to join a national pledge to stop text messaging while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a study found that as much as 71 percent of drivers admit to texting or talking on the phone while behind the wheel.

Visitors to ODOT’s fair booth will also be invited to take the “Go Ohio Transportation IQ Quiz.” Do you know what percentage of the U.S. population is within just a day’s drive of Ohio’s borders? The answer is part of a special exhibit on ODOT’s statewide multi-modal transportation futures plan.

With a spectacular midway, big-name entertainment, and hundreds of exhibits, the 2010 Ohio State Fair runs through August 8 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. More information can be found online at www.OhioStateFair.com.

For more information contact: Scott Varner, ODOT Central Office Communications, at 614-644-8640.