State Representative Troy Announces Nearly $3 Million in ODOT Grant Funding to Laketran
COLUMBUS - State Rep. Daniel Troy (D-Willowick) today announced Laketran has been awarded $2.95 million by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The grant funding comes from ODOT’s Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership (OWMP) Program, which was created to support projects that increase the ease, efficiency, and reliability of public transportation for residents traveling to places of employment outside of their communities and economically significant employment centers in the state.
The OWMP program, first established in 2023, was renewed by the House Transportation Committee, of which Representative Troy is a member, in the biennial State Transportation Budget (HB 54).
“As a member of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee in 2023, I was happy to help create and support this particular program in our Ohio Transportation budget bill. Based on the effectiveness of this program in addressing various workforce development and training challenges, my colleagues and I on the House Transportation Committee renewed the program in the 2025-2027 ODOT budget bill,” stated Rep. Daniel Troy. “These dollars will assist Laketran in their development of a new transit center in our county seat to improve employment and access to education, training and worksites in the area. This investment of state transportation dollars will certainly help to improve the economy and quality of life for the citizens of Lake County and Northeast Ohio. I am proud to have been able to assist in that effort.”
LakeTran will use $2,721,140 in grant money to help fund the construction of a new Painesville Transit Center. The replacement project, which is expected to cost a total of $20 million, will replace the outdated and undersized transfer area, located near downtown in Painesville City, with an expanded, modern hub. The new facility will feature enclosed waiting areas, bus route signage with real-time updates, expanded bus bays, bike facilities, and GoBus accommodations. The project will improve access to more than 11,000 skilled jobs in Northeast Ohio, connecting Lake County residents to major employment, education, and workforce training locations across the region.
“This funding is a significant investment in Lake County’s transportation infrastructure and workforce development,” said Laketran CEO Ben Capelle. “The new Painesville Terminal will provide a modern, accessible indoor transit center that improves the customer experience and strengthens connections to jobs, education, and training opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond with the new GoBus route. We are grateful to Governor DeWine, ODOT, and Representative Troy for their continued support of public transit and the critical role it plays in connecting people to where they need to go.”
The remaining $220,000 awarded to Laketran will go toward preventative maintenance and improvements for Geauga Transit, helping to maintain and expand services in Geauga County to improve job access and ensure reliable and efficient operation.
Laketran’s projects are two of nineteen projects selected as OWMP grant recipients this year. Twelve transit authorities across thirteen counties were selected, and a total of $13.5 million in grant funding was awarded for transit infrastructure, technology, vehicles, and route expansion planning across the state.