JEFF LANDEL Williams County resident and Ohio Turnpike Western Division Superintendent Jeff Landel came in to share the recent happenings of the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission including the new EZ Pass system
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Mayors’ Association met on March 20, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. After the minutes and the bills were accepted as presented, Pioneer Mayor Ed Kidston asked about the mutual aid agreements throughout the county.
He shared that he is no longer allowing the residents of Pioneer to subsidize the surrounding area’s fire and emergency response, with him asking the other mayors and Commissioners Lew Hilkert, Bart Westfall, and Terry Rummel on their opinions on the matter.
He shared that the automatic mutual aid program is making the municipalities absorb great expenses, and shared that a 911 call should result in an initial emergency response team that assesses which emergency personnel should respond to the call, sharing that “there’s got to be a better system. We’re just wasting taxpayer dollars.”
It was shared that the issue will be looked into for a potential speaker to come in and illustrate to the mayors’ association more about how the program works.
The association then met with Jeff Landel, who serves as the Western Division Superintendent for the Ohio Turnpike.
They service over 1,400 miles of pavement, including 190 entrance and exit ramps, 533 bridges, 31 toll plazas, 14 service plazas, eight maintenance buildings, an administration and technology building, and 3,500 acres of roadside ditches and grass.
They have been hard at work trying to implement the new EZ Pass system at the Westgate Toll Plaza in Williams County. The original toll collection system, installed in 2009, is outdated, prompting this shift before replacement inventories run out.
In 2024, there will be 142 miles of lane resurfaced, with extensive work planned for 26 bridges.
“It’s still the greatest highway in America,” shared Mayor Kidston, as they thanked him for taking the time to come in and present the recent happenings of the Ohio Turnpike in and around Williams County.
Commissioner Rummel shared that everyone will be getting a visit regarding the health department board before adjourning the meeting at 7:12 p.m.
1 Comment
Is there any indication of when the new Westgate tolling system will be implemented? The last date I heard is long past.