Ohio cuts jobs at interstate rest stops - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The state is eliminating 34 jobs staffing 11 information centers along Ohio's interstate highways and one on at the Statehouse in Columbus.

Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Faulkner says the jobs are going because travelers can now access the same information on their smart phones and other web devices.

But tourism professionals are lamenting the move. They say the face-to-face interaction drives more tourism for the state. The travel centers, occupying small rooms at highway rest stops, have operated for decades.

The Plain Dealer reports that cutting the jobs will save $2.1 million for roads and bridges.