In mid-July, ODOT and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Ohio (ACEC) held their annual Ohio Planning Conference.  The conference joins together transportation planners from across the state to discuss emerging trends and tools.  This year’s conference theme was “Transportation Connects Ohio,” and was intended to convey the critical role the transportation system plays in Ohio’s future.  There were 20 technical sessions available discussing various topics from effective public involvement to asset and data management.

“The conference was a great success on all levels.  Many of the major discussions came back to the transportation funding issue.” – John Gallagher, Carpenter Marty Transportation’s Director of Traffic Services

Not long after this conference, Congress passed an extension bill to the existing Highway Trust Fund.  This extension pulls transportation off the fiscal cliff, but still leaves the industry sorely underfunded by continuing to provide funding levels that have been flat since 1993.  The extension will come to an end in May 2015.  To date, Congress has made 21 short-term extensions to the Highway Trust Fund.