Commercial trucks driving through Ohio will have 33 new places across the state to stop and park by the end of 2027.
Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn unveiled a $150 million commercial truck parking expansion project July 29 at the Warren County Rest Area in Oregonia. The initiative will create long-term parking or expand existing lots, aiming to combat the shortage of safe and accessible truck parking, according to a news release.
By the end of construction, there will be at least 1,400 new parking spots for commercial trucks. Each new site will have restrooms and lighting, the release said.
“As Ohio’s economy continues to grow, so do the number of trucks traveling on Ohio's network of interstates and state routes,” DeWine said. “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.”
DeWine's goal: Plan for surge in Ohio truck traffic by 2045
ODOT estimates that freight volume in Ohio will increase by 26% in the next 20 years, but the state doesn't yet have the infrastructure to allow these drivers to stop and rest.
Nationwide, there is approximately one truck parking space for every 11 trucks on the road, according to the American Trucking Associations. Boratyn said Ohio's expansion project will put the state at the front of the pack in terms of the number of parking spots on state-owned property.
“Ohio's new truck parking plan is a major step forward in improving safety for truck drivers and everyone on the road,” she said.
The DeWine administration cited driver safety as a catalyst for the project. Officials noted that truck drivers who can't find a parking spot are known to drive drowsy or pull over to sleep in unsafe areas.
Almost 700 crashes have been caused by drowsy semi-truck drivers statewide since 2015, resulting in around 350 injuries and two fatalities, according to the release.
The project is funded with $150 million from the transportation budget DeWine signed earlier this year. Construction is set to begin in 2026 and be completed by the end of 2027.
See where Ohio's new truck stops will located
The 33 new or expanded truck parking areas will be located in 19 counties across the state.
Four of these will be located in the Greater Cincinnati region:
Clermont County: Interstate 275 rest areas (Northbound and Southbound)
Warren County: Interstate 71 rest areas (Northbound and Southbound)
The other parking spots will be located in the following locations across the state:
Allen County: U.S. Route 30 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Ashtabula County: Interstate 90 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Auglaize County: U.S. Route 33/Willipie infields (eastbound)
Auglaize County: U.S. Route 33 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Belmont County: Interstate 70 weigh station (eastbound)
Fayette County: U.S. Route 35/U.S. Route 62/U.S. Route 22 infields
Franklin County: Interstate 70/U.S. Route 62 infields (eastbound)
Gallia County: U.S. Route 35 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Guernsey County: Interstate 70 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Henry County: U.S. Route 6 and County Road 424 infields (eastbound)
Lake County: Interstate 90 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Mahoning County: State Route 11 rest areas (northbound)
Medina County: Interstate 71 rest areas (northbound and southbound)
Medina County: Interstate 76 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
Ross County: U.S. Route 35/U.S. Route 50 interchange
Ross County: U.S. Route 23/State Route 159 interchange
Summit County: Interstate 271 rest areas (northbound and southbound)
Summit County: Interstate 77 rest area
Wyandot County: U.S. Route 30 rest areas (eastbound and westbound)
The planned sites will add to the approximately 14,200 truck parking spaces currently available across the state.
According to the news release, most of the existing spots are located at privately owned truck stops or businesses, rather than public spaces or rest areas maintained by ODOT.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: DeWine unveils 33 new truck rest stops as Ohio semi traffic surges
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