VW County could benefit from new RTPO

VW independent staff/submitted information

Local Ohio Department of Transportation officials have noted that northwest Ohio has the largest area not currently represented by a RTPO (regional transportation planning organization) or an MPO (metropolitan planning organization), but that’s about to change.

Chris Hughes, Ohio Department of Transportation District 1 deputy director, sought to remedy that void and introduced the idea of forming a regional transportation planning organization (RTPO) to serve Van Wert, Putnam, Hancock, Hardin, Wyandot, Auglaize and Mercer counties.

According to Hughes, the new RTPO will provide local public agencies access to more funding.

“Within the BIL (Bypartisan Infrastructure Legislation), an RTPO may apply for federal grants,” Hughes explained. “ It’s not a lot of money yet, but it’s something. If you’re not part of an RTPO, you don’t have access to that. As time goes on, you will be more and more left out if you’re not part of one of these organizations.”

The RTPO will provide local entities assistance with planning their transportation projects.

“The RTPO can bring their projects to us,” Hughes stated. “It will truly help rural counties identify transportation issues and get those issues solved. It will provide them an avenue they don’t currently have to get things done.” said Hughes.

All seven of the counties have submitted resolutions stating they plan to be part of the new agency, titled West Central Ohio Regional Planning Organization (WORPO).

WORPO will be administered by the Lima-Allen County Regional Planning Commission which is currently working to secure the needed staff. The new RTPO is expected to be operating this year.