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Ohio willing to lease toll road, but won't sell it

TOLEDO, Ohio — If the state strikes a deal to lease the Ohio Turnpike to private investors, it also wants to make sure tolls will not soar like gas prices, Ohio's transportation director said.

State officials want any deal to include caps on future tolls.

Ohio Transportation Director Jerry Wray on Thursday outlined a few more details about what could happen with the turnpike while meeting with local officials in northwest Ohio.

The state is willing to lease it but won't sell it outright, he said. And any money that comes from a deal would go right back into improvements such as highway construction and harbor dredging, mainly in northern Ohio.

Another option is putting the turnpike under the control of the Ohio Department of Transportation instead of the current Ohio Turnpike Commission, he told The Blade.

"There is not a preferred option at this point," Wray said. "Leasing is the most talked about. We're seeking the best long-term option for Ohio."

Critics of Gov. John Kasich's proposal to turn over the turnpike have warned such a move could lead to higher tolls on the 241-mile route that cuts across northern Ohio and connects Youngstown, Cleveland and Toledo. Higher tolls also could end up pushing more truck traffic onto routes that run along the turnpike. That's what happened after an 82 percent toll increase took full effect in 1999. The state later lowered tolls and increased speeds to lure back truckers.

Kasich raised the idea of leasing the turnpike just a few weeks after he was elected in November.

He called the turnpike an underutilized asset, but said early on that he wasn't sure whether investors could be found given the economic climate.

Kasich also said he probably wouldn't approve any deal worth less than $2.5 billion.

The governor's proposed budget allows the transportation department and budget office to negotiate and enter a turnpike lease with a private operator. Wray said several potential bidders have asked about taking over turnpike concessions if that's opened up.

A private turnpike operator, Wray said, could end up installing automated fare collection machines, eliminating the jobs of unionized toll workers.

The idea of leasing the turnpike was met with mixed reaction from northwest Ohio officials on Thursday.

James Carter, president of the Wood County commissioners, had doubts on whether the state would follow through with promises about where the money would go because of past broken promises.

"I want to hear more," he said.

The idea is worth looking at, said Tony Reams, executive director of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.

"You can't ignore it," he said. "There's an opportunity here."

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