Ohio § 5595.041

§ 5595.041.

The governing board of a qualified RTIP may negotiate and enter into a memorandum

of understanding with the department of transportation for the purpose of completing

opportunity corridor improvements.  The governing board, in carrying out the opportunity corridor improvements, may

exercise all authority granted to it by this chapter and may additionally do all of

the following: (A) Appropriate property, fully or partially located within the right-of-way associated

with, or necessary as right-of-way for, any transportation improvement, provided the

appropriation would be within the department of transportation's appropriation authority

if carried out by the department and both the improvement and appropriation authority

are described in the memorandum of understanding and the appropriation is exclusively

for that improvement. This division does not grant any additional appropriation authority to the department

of transportation. (B) Receive and reinvest any funds from development within the development area; (C) Contract for the use of digitalized procurement planning and permitting systems; (D) Request and receive grants and private contributions for any of the purposes described

in division (A) of section 5595.06 of the Revised Code ; (E) Establish, acquire, own, control, manage, sell, or transfer a business, as defined

in section 1354.01 of the Revised Code , as necessary, convenient, or proper for either of the following: (1) The construction, maintenance, repair, or operation of opportunity corridor improvements

described in the memorandum of understanding; (2) Otherwise advancing the objectives of the qualified RTIP. (F) Form, participate in the management of, and contract with a public-private enterprise

to assist in managing the development of opportunity corridor improvements to be located

within rights of way and development areas acquired and owned by the RTIP.  The governing documents of a proposed enterprise shall be submitted to the director

of transportation for review and approval in the same manner as is required for approval

of a cooperative agreement. As used in division (F) of this section, “ public-private enterprise ” means a business entity that is owned in part by a qualified RTIP and in part by

one or more private persons. (G) Purchase real property fully or partially located within the development area, through

means other than appropriation, that is necessary, convenient, or proper to provide

a benefit to the public or for the construction, maintenance, repair, or operation

of transportation improvements or opportunity corridor improvements. (H) Negotiate and enter into an agreement with the Ohio academic resources network to

set up a point of presence for the purpose of establishing, expanding, or improving

broadband service, or other digital capabilities or services, within the development

area.