Cuyahoga County's regional transportation powers may be lessened by Ohio legislators' proposed changes
In a move that could significantly alter the transportation landscape of Northeast Ohio, a bill is currently under consideration that would transfer power over highway projects from the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County to four surrounding suburban counties. State Rep. Mike Dovilla, a Strongsville Republican, is the main proponent of the bill, arguing that it is intended to rein in the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and other non-elected metropolitan planning organizations.
NOACA, a regional organization responsible for coordinating transportation planning and economic development policies across Northeast Ohio, determines which transportation projects in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties receive federal funding. The proposed legislation targets NOACA, aiming to curb its influence and power.
Critics of the bill, however, argue that it would result in a loss of local control. Gallucci, the CEO/executive director of NOACA, counters that Dovilla's proposals are either based on misinformation, unnecessary, redundant with existing law, or unnecessary.
NOACA conducts long-term transportation plans, studies, and forecasts about traffic patterns, population shifts, and pollution levels. Currently, over half of NOACA's board members come from Cuyahoga County, giving it a significant influence over NOACA's decisions. The bill would prevent any one county from holding a majority of seats on a metropolitan planning organization's board of directors.
Dovilla claims that NOACA has stifled economic development in suburban areas and bullied suburban officials into sharing tax money with Cleveland. He also argues that the bill would force NOACA to end DEI and anti-global warming initiatives that conflict with Trump administration policy. The bill targets NOACA CEO/executive director Grace Gallucci for simultaneously holding an out-of-state adjunct teaching job.
The bill, if passed, could mark a significant shift in the way transportation planning is conducted in Northeast Ohio. The debate surrounding it highlights the tension between local control and regional coordination, and the role of metropolitan planning organizations like NOACA in shaping the region's future.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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