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June 2019 Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram
Customer Connection
In This Newsletter
VIDEO: EV chargers open
VIDEO: Father's Day
Tell teenagers you know
The Ohio Turnpike - A Better Way To Travel®

VIDEO: Ohio Turnpike opens its first EV Charging Stations

New electric vehicle charging stations opened last month in time for the start of the summer travel season and are the first along the Ohio Turnpike.

The stations are located at the Wyandot and Blue Heron Service Plazas in Genoa and are available for immediate use. The Electrify America charging stations feature 50 kilowatts (kW), 150kW and 350kW DC Fast Chargers. 

Another set of charging stations will open by the end of this month at the Indian Meadow and Tiffin River Service Plazas in West Unity.

Our modern Service Plazas are a great location for these new charging stations. Customers can charge their electric vehicles up quickly and while doing so they can grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee before they get back on the road. Please watch the VIDEO below for more information.

Ferzan M. Ahmed, P.E.
Executive Director

FATHER's DAY VIDEO: These fathers and sons have an important message to share  

Long-time friends Mike Cole and Tim McCoy work full-time at the Ohio Turnpike's Amherst Building as a Roadway Maintenance Worker and Sign Shop Technician, respectively. We value their contributions as part of our Turnpike family.

​But Cole and McCoy have even more in common—their sons—who grew up together. Jordan Cole and Cody McCoy are the best of friends who look out for each other and their Dads. This is a story about being a good father, a good friend and a good son. As a bonus, it's also a message about the importance of safety, especially moving over and slowing down.

Please watch the video below to see a special Father's Day story and how safety really is all in the family for this very special group of men. You won't be disappointed.     

Tony Yacobucci
Chief Engineer

H.S. students must post their videos by July 4th for a chance at great prizes--tell your teens

Our W82TXT video contest corresponds with what’s become known as the “100 Deadliest Days for teens,” which are the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found new teen drivers ages 16-17 years old are three times as likely as adults to be involved in a deadly crash during this period.

By engaging teens during this critical time of the year, the videos they create and share on social media will raise awareness about risky behaviors and influence peers to make safe choices while behind the wheel.

Three finalists will get to choose from these great prizes: 

  • GoPro video camera
  • Apple iPad
  • $250 Amazon Gift Card

The grand prize winner will also designate a booster club at their school to receive $500.Click on the graphic link below to learn more about the contest and see last year's winning videos.

Adam Greenslade
Director of Marketing

Crews make progress on Turnpike bridge removal and Mills Creek Bike Path Connector

Improved safety and reliability for Ohio Turnpike customers and the Youngstown community are the major benefits of a $6.3 million construction project that began last year and will be completed in November of 2019.

Thus far in 2019, the eastbound mainline bridge has been removed at milepost 223 in Mahoning County in Canfield Township. The area under the bridge will be filled in around the new bike path culvert to reduce maintenance costs and to improve safety for customers and turnpike maintenance crews.

The westbound bridge will be removed upon completion of the eastbound mainline that replaces the bridge.

Currently being constructed is a Mill Creek Bikeway Connector as seen in the photo. Crews have lowered 29 pre-cast concrete archtop sections in place atop pedestal walls to create the culvert connector for the bikeway. Each pre-cast section weighs 14 tons. A detour was constructed and is currently in use.

When the project is complete, bicyclists will pedal through the lighted connector with entry walls that feature textured and colored concrete surfaces that resemble real random cut stone masonry.

Chuck Cvitkovich
Bridge Engineer

VIDEO: How to mount your E-ZPass transponder 

Tired of getting stuck in E-ZPass-only lanes? This VIDEO will show you how to install your E-ZPass transponder.

Improper installation is the number one reason transponders do not read correctly. Holding it up and waving it around often leaves our customers having to stop for the gate, especially past the "read zone." 

Mounting your E-ZPass transponder is a must to guarantee fast, hassle-free transactions.

Marty Seekely
Chief Financial Officer

Auntie Anne's opens soon at select service plazas

Coming soon to Middle Ridge, Vermilion Valley, Erie Island and Commodore Perry Service Plazas!

Auntie Anne’s was founded in 1988 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania’s Farmer’s Market by Anne Beiler. Today, there are over 1,500 locations in the United States. Auntie Anne’s menu is specialized for pretzel lovers. 

They have several menu items featuring pretzel dogs, specialty pretzels and signature pretzels as well as specialty lemonade mixers. Their pretzels come in many flavors such as original, cinnamon sugar, sweet almond, and more.

No matter what you buy, Auntie Anne’s prices are affordable and you can get pretty much anything, including combo meals for under $10.

The Middle Ridge and Vermilion Valley locations are tentatively set to open this week. The Erie Islands and Commodore Perry locations are expected to be completed in 2-3 weeks. Operating hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week.  

Andrew Herberger
Service Plaza
Operations Director

Partners promote "Click it or Ticket" Safety Campaign

Representatives from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Portage County Safe Communities and the Portage County Health Department came together to promote the National ‘Click It Or Ticket” campaign that took place across the United States.  Booths were set up in both Brady’s Leap and Portage Service Plazas on May 23.

Click It Or Ticket information was given out, along with other traffic safety material.  There was also a prize wheel at each booth where motorists were asked to answer a traffic safety question to win Click It Or Ticket promotional items.  

Make sure the Red, White and Blue isn't after you: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

The Fourth of July is a time for Americans to fire up the barbecue, hoist the flag, and grab a seat for that spectacular fireworks display. But before you head out for the celebrations, make sure you plan for a sober way home.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is taking part in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign during the Fourth of July holiday period, June 29-July 5, 2019, to put an end to drunk driving. 
 
During the 2017 Fourth of July holiday period, 237 people were killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. These deaths accounted for 39 percent of the total motor vehicle traffic crashes that occurred over the holiday period. The deaths also represent a 23-percent increase from 2016, during which 192 people were killed during the same holiday period.
 
We want to be very clear about the consequences of drunk driving, which is illegal. Make no mistake: If you are caught drinking and driving, you will be pulled over and arrested. 

Staff Lt. Travis Hughes
Turnpike Liaison

Middle Ridge Service Plaza will host a Customer Appreciation Event on July 19 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Please stop by for free Ohio Heartland food samples and a chance to win a Sunoco Gift Card on our prize wheel.
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Stay informed on changing traffic patterns due to accidents, work zones and construction delays,
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Copyright © 2019 Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you have a past relationship with the
Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.

Published by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission,
Ferzan M. Ahmed, P.E., Executive Director
Adam Greenslade, Director of Government Affairs, Marketing and Communications
Questions or suggestions? Contact Brian Newbacher, Editor, brian.newbacher@ohioturnpike.org.

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Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission
682 Prospect Street
Berea, OH 44017
440-234-2081

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