Ohio wants to hear from you how it should invest the $1.2 billion it will receive from the economic stimulus package. recovery.ohio.gov is more than a searchable database of all the requests for stimulus funds. It is a fascinating look at the ambitions of more than 7,000 people, some working hard to make a case for transformational change.

Arguably too many are mundane requests from cities looking to repave roads. But plenty of Northeast Ohioans are hoping to invest the funds in a sustainable transportation system, a green product and a renewable energy business idea. The site has hundreds of companies holding out their hat for tens of millions of dollars: Pierre’s Ice Cream dreams of building a $7 million state-of-the-art facility in Midtown Cleveland. Product designers Nottingham Spirk want $8 million to manufacture an ‘eco bottle’.

Budding entrepreneurs want a crack at that money, too. Mary Jo Chrobak of Hudson would like $2 million for “Propogating, planting and harvesting miscanthus gigantus (a grass) for the purposes of producing renewable energy source.”

The vast majority of the requests are for infrastructure. Leading the way is ODOT’s request for $365 million to rebuild the Innerbelt Bridge. What’s so green about that? Well, it might be a good idea to revisit the conversation about designing a bike path on the bridge now that we have a new ODOT administration (GCBL posted quite a bit about this idea here.)

Fairly typical is an $11 million request to replace pavement and curbs on 20 local streets in Strongsville. How can we green mundane infrastructure requests? Before the state approves infrastructure funds, they ought to be filtered through ODOT’s new Transportation Priorities for the 21st century task force recommendations. Sustainable transportation advocates insist the state needs to pass a Complete Streets policy which would ensure that all funding for infrastructure includes designs for bike lanes, pedestrian zones, and transit amenities. Then, when Strongsville needs new roads, they’re re-built for the 21st century realities of climate change and the day that oil runs out. Just like a Renewable Portfolio Standard promised a renewable energy market for Ohio, a Complete Streets policy will jump start the investment in safer roads not too mention roads that offer choices for parents feeling safe riding a bicycle with their kids to school and then to work.

Cleveland's request to the state for 2009 Economic Recovery Act funds does include the following bicycle-related projects: the Downtown Bike Station, Train Avenue Bikeway, Lake to Lakes Trail, Kerruish Park Trail, Dike 14 Trail and Towpath Trail.

Part of Cleveland’s shovel ready list for stimulus funds includes projects that tie in bike facilities, like a proposed bike parking station in University Circle. The city ranks that as ready to go within 120 days, however, the location and plans to develop the station as part of a large mixed-use development on Mayfield Road (at Lot 45) are still in their infancy.

But, most noticeable in its absence from the list on recovery.ohio.gov are direct funding requests for bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout Cuyahoga County.

“It seems the local/regional cycling community is missing a huge opportunity to fund regional infrastructure projects like lanes, paths, signage and bicycle parking,” says John McGovern, Clean Transportation Program Coordinator, DOE Clean Cities Program, Earth Day Coalition.

Sally Hanley, a staffer at the region’s transportation planning agency, NOACA, answers that they submitted projects through their usual channel at the state department of transportation. “This list does include the part of the Towpath Trail from Harvard to the Steelyard Commons. It also includes many road and bridge projects that the BAC (Bike Advisory Council) has reviewed and made recommendations for.”

What about education, McGovern continues, how about a regional campaign to highlight NOACA bicycle buddies and get folks out of their cars and onto bicycles and transit? “As I understand it, several hundred thousand dollars have been secured through the Federal Stimulus Package to educate fleets and citizens about idle reduction. In terms of saving fuel and reducing carbon, moving trips to bikes has the same effect!”

What green building, alternative transportation and renewable energy projects would you like to see stimulus funds invested in? Add your ideas here.