It may feel like it’s too early to engage in Ohio’s 2026 statewide elections, but it’s not.
Experience tells us that conversations about priorities, especially those related to Ohio’s infrastructure, have already begun. Next year’s May 5th primary election will be here before we know it. Elections on that date will, in many cases, determine the candidates we will be voting for in the fall. These potential candidates for governor, other statewide offices and the legislature are now actively meeting with business leaders, visiting communities and outlining their early visions for the state’s transportation future. For those of us in the heavy/highway construction industry this period of early discussion presents an important opportunity to listen, learn and help shape the dialogue.
The Ohio Contractors Association and its members have always recognized that transportation policy and public investment decisions are foundational to the state’s economic health. The stability of our highway program, the predictability of project delivery and the strength of our industry’s workforce all depend on the commitment of public officials to provide sustained, responsible funding for Ohio’s transportation infrastructure.
We know that the infusion of federal resources through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), along with the 2019 increase in the state’s motor fuel tax, have provided meaningful support over the past several years. However, those funds are finite. Both revenue sources remain subject to long-term decline as inflation on materials and salary costs grow and vehicle efficiency – including alternative-fuel vehicles – improves. Today, the state motor fuel tax increase of 2019 has evaporated in the face of these inflationary factors. Any candidate seeking statewide office must understand that maintaining Ohio’s transportation network requires stable, ongoing investment and that the conversation about alternative revenue sources cannot be delayed indefinitely.
Equally important are the related issues that define the health of our industry:
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Efficient project delivery, to ensure that work moves swiftly from planning to pavement and bridges
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Workforce development and training, to attract and retain the next generation of skilled labor
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Safety and work zone protection, to protect the men and women who build and maintain Ohio’s roads.
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Innovation and sustainability, including the use of new technologies and materials and digital design and construction methods
Each of these priorities should be part of the policy dialogue now taking shape.
As candidates begin articulating their platforms, it is essential that members of Ohio’s highway construction industry engage constructively. Ask questions. Attend public forums. Invite your local politicians to your jobsites. Share the realities of what it takes to build and maintain the infrastructure that supports every facet of our state’s economy and your employees’ livelihoods. These interactions – respectful, informed and early – lay the foundation for sound transportation policy no matter the election outcome.
Let’s not wait until next year’s campaign season is in full swing to pay attention. The groundwork for the policies that will affect Ohio’s transportation future is being laid today. Listening and learning now will allow our industry to contribute meaningfully to that conversation and ensure that whoever leads Ohio next, understands the value of the work we do to keep this state moving forward.