Mahoning Valley - Another major project is being proposed to build on the Voltage Valley.

It's called a "smart logistics hub," an infrastructure initiative to capitalize on Lordstown's location of transportation, broadband and electrification.

"So what we're doing is we're trying to develop a strategy that really capitalizes on the location and the investment in the area through the battery plant," Eastgate Executive Director Jim Kinnick.

Eastgate Regional Council of Governments is spearheading the project called the "Live" Zone to position not just Lordstown, but the 10-mile radius outside of it, as a "regional warehouse and distribution hub."

"Recognizing our neighbors right there in the intersection is the Turnpike, 80 and 76 and we're halfway between New York and Chicago, so we align ourselves better for distribution," Kinnick said, "Supply chain companies are looking in Warren, looking in Niles, looking in Youngstown."

From autonomous trucking to wireless communications between carriers, the idea is to make this area an easily accessible zone to attract more future distribution companies and warehouses.

Kinnick said ideas include "autonomous vehicles delivering containers off of an intermodal because of the accessibility to the rail yard in the same region...a smart corridor where trucks are talking to each other to help deliveries... We hope to also hope to give more investment when it comes to vehicular electrification."

Kinnick said a study being conducted that is paid for by the state will nail down cost and what technology our area can implement.

"We're trying to position ourselves where we're not behind the ball," Mayor of Lordstown, Arno Hill, said. 

Kinnick said the project could cost between $40-50 million and that Eastgate is working on getting $25-million through a federal grant. The rest is expected to come from private investments and the Department of Transportation.