Transportation officials met with U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, in Jefferson County on Thursday to discuss challenges they face and how they plan to improve roads for residents as part of a "Ride Along" event.

Bad roads from heavy oil and gas truck traffic wreaked havoc on county roads, but County engineers and the Ohio Department of Transportation found a solution with those companies.

"We developed a (road maintenance) agreement. It's innovative in that the road will be repaired or actually upgraded before they start work," said Jefferson County Engineer Jim Branagan.

That agreement is a statewide requirement that's put millions of dollars into local roads. Johnson rode with officials to different sites and project underway in the area. A few challenges officials expressed to Johnson included how authorities will continue future federal funding for transportation, especially since a long-term transportation bill has yet to pass.

"That's a big issue. Transportation is largely funded by the federal gas tax on gasoline," said Johnson. "As cars become more energy efficient and fuel efficient, they don't use as much gasoline. We've got to find another way, another formula for funding our transportation infrastructure."

Johnson plans to take that concern with him to Washington, D.C. If lawmakers can agree to shorten the process a bill goes through, Johnson said that would play a big part in getting a long-term transportation bill passed.