Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced a $150 million plan to address the shortage of commercial-truck parking in Ohio by adding 1,400 new commercial truck parking spaces across the state.
With the plan, the state will create or expand long-term truck parking lots at 33 sites in 19 counties, more than doubling current truck parking capacity at ODOT-maintained sites, according to a release by ODOT and the governor.
The state’s transportation budget passed earlier this year will fund the plan. Each site will include lighting and restroom facilities, with plans to begin construction in 2026, expecting completion by the end of 2027, according to the release.
The 33 new truck parking areas will be located in Allen, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Belmont, Clermont, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Henry, Lake, Mahoning, Medina, Ross, Summit, Warren and Wyandot counties. The American Transportation Research Institute estimates that Ohio will have the highest total number of long-term truck parking spaces available on state-owned property once the parking plan is completed.
Ohio is considered one of the U.S.’s most crucial freight corridors, according to state officials. In 2023, trucks drove 27.5 million miles on Ohio roads, and ODOT estimates that freight volume will increase 26% by 2045.
According to the American Trucking Associations, there is one truck parking space for every 11 trucks on the road, causing truck drivers who can’t find a spot to continue driving or pull over to sleep on highway shoulders or ramps. Since 2015, there have been 689 Ohio crashes caused by tired semi-truck drivers.
Currently, there are around 14,200 truck parking spaces available in the state, with most located at privately owned truck stops or businesses.
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