John Becker

As the 131st General Assembly begins to wind down, I often reflect on all that we have accomplished over the past two years to make Ohioans’ lives better. While these accomplishments should certainly not be diminished, now that the General Assembly is coming to a close I instead find myself looking forward to my legislative priorities in the next couple years to come.

One of my top legislative priorities is to solve the traffic nightmare on I-275 between Milford and Montgomery. I, like many of you, find myself sitting in constant gridlock within this area, and I have certainly been no stranger to observing rear end collisions pulled off to the side of the road. The congestion on this portion of the highway must be addressed to better accommodate all Cincinnatians.

Collaborating with Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Mt. Lookout), Rep. Jonathan Dever (R-Madeira) and Sen. Joe Uecker (R-Miami Township), I have already scheduled a meeting with leaders from the Ohio Department of Transportation to discuss our options for fixing this mess.

While the ODOT representatives will be the ones tasked with coming up with the best possible solution, I envision adding lanes to the current grassy berm with a divider wall in between. My expectation is that the project will begin in Clermont County at either the Hillsboro exit at SR 450 or the Milford exit at SR 28 and end at the Montgomery Road exit.

Obviously the expense of this project will be the biggest detriment, especially when considering expanding the four bridges crossing the Little Miami River and Loveland Madeira Road, however I plan to initiate whatever legislation is necessary to appropriate the necessary funds. At the end of the day, the cost to the motoring public in terms of time, fuel, rear end collisions, and blood pressure is incalculable.

I am looking forward to the meeting with ODOT in January, and I am even more looking forward to a stress free commute through this horrendous stretch of highway. If you have questions, concerns or suggestions on this topic, please do not hesitate to call my office at 614-466-8134 or email at Rep65@ohiohouse.gov.