Ohio Gov. Backs $3 Billion Turnpike Lease

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) said he would like to lease the Ohio Turnpike to a private operator for $3 billion in cash.

Kasich talked about a possible lease during his campaign last year but mentioned a specific price for the first time at a Feb. 10 speech to the Ohio Newspaper Association, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.

The Ohio Trucking Association has adopted a wait-and-see attitude on a possible lease, said OTA President Larry Davis.

“I don’t know that they’re going to do that, I haven’t seen anything,” he told Transport Topics.

Kasich’s press secretary, Rob Nichols, said the governor’s remarks reflected his theme that “everything’s on the table,” including leasing the turnpike, as a means to improving the state’s financial situation.

The 241-mile highway runs east-west across northern Ohio as Interstates 80 and 90, connecting to the Indiana East West Toll Road and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Of the 48.9 million vehicle trips on the Ohio Turnpike last year, trucks accounted for nearly 10 million.