Columbus, OH — Ohio has unveiled a plan to create at least 1,400 new parking spaces for commercial trucks and buses – more than doubling current capacity at state Department of Transportation-maintained sites.
Announced July 29 by Gov. Mike DeWine (R) and ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn, the plan includes adding those spaces at 33 sites in 19 counties. The state will create or expand current parking lots to address a shortage of safe, accessible long-term parking for commercial motor vehicle drivers to meet federal rest requirements.
The project, according to an ODOT press release, will be funded by $150 million from the current transportation budget. Construction is expected to begin next year and be completed by the end of 2027. Each site will also feature lighting and restroom facilities.
According to an American Transportation Research Institute projection, when the project is completed, Ohio will have the nation’s largest number of long-term parking spaces available on state-owned property.
Boratyn calls the plan “a major step forward in improving safety for truck drivers and everyone on the road” and will set “the standard for safety and service.”
Added DeWine: “As Ohio’s economy continues to grow, so do the number of trucks traveling on Ohio’s network of interstates and state routes. By expanding safe, accessible places for drivers to rest, we’re supporting the people who keep our economy moving and making it safer for everyone on our roads.”
On June 27, the Trump administration announced a “package of new incentives” to improve the lives of truck drivers and make the amount of safe truck parking a national priority. The federal DOT said it will allocate more than $275 million to expand truck parking across the country.
