Governor DeWine Signs $11 Billion Transportation Budget, Eliminates Traffic Cameras

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 54, the state’s $11 billion two-year transportation budget. The budget will take effect on July 1 and includes funding for critical transportation infrastructure projects throughout Ohio.

“Transportation is vital to our state’s economy. It connects Ohioans to jobs, education, healthcare, and entertainment,” said Governor DeWine.

Budget Highlights:

• Over 90% of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) budget will be spent on maintenance, preservation, and improvements to existing roads, bridges, and other critical components of Ohio’s roadway system
• The Highway Safety Improvement Program will increase from $185 million to $191 million in fiscal years 2026 and 2027
• $150 million is allocated to study and construct truck parking lots on state-owned land to address safety concerns
• The budget supports ODOT’s new Division of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), which will be co-located at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence in Springfield

Traffic Camera Changes:

The bill eliminates speed cameras in counties and townships, ending their ability to send tickets by mail for violations captured on traffic cameras. However, cities may still use speed cameras under Home Rule provisions in the Ohio Constitution.

Home Rule grants municipalities the right to local self-government, allowing cities to maintain their traffic camera programs even as counties and townships are prohibited from using them. This constitutional provision gives cities certain powers to enact and enforce local ordinances as long as they don’t conflict with general state laws.

While cities can continue using traffic cameras, the state has implemented financial consequences for doing so. Previous legislation allows the state to reduce local government fund distributions to cities by the same amount they collect from traffic camera fines.

Township Response:

Prior to the bill’s signing, law enforcement officials from Liberty, Vienna, and Weathersfield townships met with Ohio Sen. Sandra O’Brien and U.S. Rep. Dave Thomas to express concerns about the provision prohibiting townships from operating traffic camera programs. These departments voiced support for the current law that allows hand-held traffic camera programs and requested that Governor DeWine use his line-item veto power to remove the provision.

“These programs are responsibly run, with a police officer present to witness each and every infraction, which is an important consideration that I think is being overlooked right now,” Sen. O’Brien said.

Township police officials emphasized that their hand-held programs involve an on-site officer who oversees the speed camera, which is only triggered when a vehicle is traveling 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit. They noted a noticeable improvement in driver behavior in areas where the cameras are used.

Vienna Township began using cameras last summer after being placed in fiscal emergency by the state auditor in April 2024 due to a $1.3 million deficit. Liberty Township has operated its program since 2016, while Weathersfield Township started in late 2019.

Ohio Cities with Speed Cameras:

The following Ohio cities and municipalities currently operate speed cameras:

• Akron
• Brice
• Campbell
• Dayton
• Franklin Township
• Girard
• Hamilton
• Hubbard
• Liberty Township
• Linndale
• Mayfield Village
• New Miami
• New Richmond
• Newburgh Heights
• Parma
• Perrysburg Township
• Rutland
• Toledo
• Trotwood
• Vienna Township
• Village of Peninsula
• Walton Hills
• Willoughby Hills
• Youngstown

Governor DeWine did not veto any items in House Bill 54, including the provision prohibiting townships from using speed cameras.