With the long lame duck session still in the rearview mirror, groups are starting to look ahead at next year’s big budget bills. Several groups see this as an opportunity to increase money and access to public transportation.
A coalition of environmental, disability and other groups from around the state are calling on lawmakers and Gov. John Kasich to increase funding to public transportation. That means more sidewalks, bike paths and mass transit.
Katie Frederick with Ohio’s American Council of the Blind says access for those with disabilities is also important to keep in mind.
“It’s important to make something accessible at the forefront and if you do it right from the beginning then you don’t have extra costs in the end when you have people come back in the end and say that’s not accessible," said Frederick.
The current transportation budget allots 1% to public transit, the coalition would like to see that pot grow to 10%.
Copyright 2016 The Statehouse News Bureau
