ODOT District 4 Summit County Heliport

The closure was primarily for operational and economic reasons. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), like many government agencies, began integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for tasks that were historically performed by helicopters, such as bridge inspection, site surveying, and traffic monitoring. The adoption of this more cost-effective technology, likely combined with a centralization of the state's remaining manned aircraft fleet, made a dedicated heliport at the district level redundant.

The site of the former heliport is now an unmarked grass lawn located on the property of the active ODOT District 4 Headquarters at 2088 S Arlington Road. The helipad markings have been completely removed, and the area has been returned to simple green space. The surrounding ODOT facility, including its offices, garages, and material storage (like salt domes), remains fully operational.

The ODOT District 4 Summit County Heliport was a private, state-owned facility that served as an operational base for the Ohio Department of Transportation's activities in District 4 (covering Ashtabula, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, Summit, and Trumbull counties). When active, it handled helicopter operations for critical infrastructure management. These operations included aerial inspection of thousands of miles of highways and hundreds of bridges, photogrammetry and surveying for road design and construction, monitoring major traffic incidents, and providing rapid transportation for engineers and officials to project sites or emergencies within the district.

There are no known plans or public discussions regarding the reopening of this heliport. The operational shift towards drone technology and the high cost of maintaining and operating manned aircraft make a return to service highly improbable. The needs that the heliport once fulfilled are now being met by more modern and economical means, indicating its closure is permanent.