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Medina County plans to ask NOACA to rescind funding for I‑70 interchange study unless statute removing formula is enacted
Summary
County officials intend to submit a resolution to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) asking that the previously authorized I‑70 interchange study not proceed if the 'interchange by formula' statute (referred to in the meeting as section 550160) remains on the books, arguing a statutory formula would preordain study outcomes.
Medina County officials said they will submit a resolution to the NOACA board asking that NOACA revoke authorization or withhold county funds for the previously authorized I‑70 interchange study if the state statute that prescribes an interchange location (described in the meeting as section 550160) is not repealed.
County Administrator (presenting the matter to commissioners) said NOACA previously authorized an interchange study while the statute that the transcript identifies as requiring the interchange at Boston Road remained in force. The county official described the concern that conducting a study while the statutory formula remains in place could "taint" the study because the law would effectively predetermine the outcome. The county plans to submit a resolution to NOACA’s executive director and board president asking that NOACA either (a) proceed only if the statute is repealed or (b) revoke the previously authorized study and decline to authorize additional NOACA funds for the portion of I‑70 corridor specified in the statute (described in the record as the segment from Boston Road to Drake Road).
The presentation to the commissioners reviewed recent legislative developments: a House version that would have repealed the statute but required a study was referenced as having been removed from the Senate transportation budget; the matter appeared headed to conference committee. The county administrator said he will submit the proposed NOACA resolution immediately to NOACA staff and leadership and expects the issue to appear on NOACA’s June agenda. The county delegation members representing the county on NOACA — including Andy Conrad (county engineer), Jeff Brandon (Montville Township trustee), and Paul Magovac (City of Brunswick representative) — were described as supportive of submitting the resolution.
At the meeting commissioners discussed procedural paths to get the matter before NOACA (committees or direct board placement), and agreed the county should communicate its position without delay because state transportation budget actions are time-sensitive. The county administrator said he will forward the draft to NOACA leaders for consideration and that he might later bring a county resolution endorsing the NOACA action to the commissioners for formal local support.
No formal county motion or binding local action on the NOACA resolution was taken at the meeting; the item was described as an intended next step and staff-level submission to the regional board.
