President Beverly Warren recently joined U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in a meeting with regional leaders about the state of Ohio’s infrastructure and the need for increased funding to improve deficiencies.
The group met Sept. 5 in Kent at the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority’s Kent Central Gateway multimodal transit center.
Ryan discussed a report that awarded the United States an overall D+ grade in infrastructure and suggested that the nation needs to invest trillions of dollars in future transportation.
“I’m a partner with you in supporting transportation,” Warren told Ryan and the group. “I certainly understand the importance of transportation and how transportation not only transforms a city, but it transforms lives.”
Ryan lauded transportation improvements to Kent and Portage County as examples to the rest of the country when leaders work together.
“This was the ultimate collaboration,” Ryan said. “This was the ultimate project where it was federal, state, local, public, private, non-profits, the university and the city all involved in this project.”