Clark County commissioners discuss local projects with Voinovich representative

SPRINGFIELD — The widening of Interstate 70, an Amtrak train stop and the realigning of Ohio 794 are a few of the issues that local officials hope get federal attention and perhaps federal dollars.

Clark County commissioners discussed several topics with Gary Abernathy, a representative of retiring U.S. Sen. George Voinovich.

Voinovich is leaving office in about six months, but he is not slowing down, Abernathy said.

“(The senator) has a lot of priorities he’s trying to work on,” Abernathy said. “A lot of them are infrastructure.”

Voinovich is also committed to reigning in spending in Washington, Abernathy noted. Although the senator voted twice to extend unemployment benefits, he did not vote for the last jobs package, “because there was no mechanism to fund these things,” Abernathy said.

The commissioners highlighted local projects that are important to them, asking Abernathy to relay them to Voinovich.

The projects included:

• Widening of Interstate 70 between U.S. 40 and Enon Road

• Realignment of Ohio 794 near Springfield Air National Guard Base

• Upgrade of the sewer system near Medway

• Ensuring that proposed Amtrak 3-C Rail project comes to Ohio and Springfield gets a stop

• Offering support for veterans regarding employment and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Enforcing laws that require establishments to be accessible for persons with disabilities.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.

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