The director of transportation may employ such assistants as are necessary to prepare plans and surveys. Compensation paid for the preparation of plans, surveys, and specifications shall be regarded as a part of the cost and expense of the improvement for which they were made and shall be paid from funds set aside for the improvement.

The director may appoint additional clerks and stenographers, and such other engineers, inspectors, technicians, and other employees as are necessary to carry out Chapters 4561., 5501., 5503., 5511., 5513., 5515., 5516., 5517., 5519., 5521., 5523., 5525., 5527., 5528., 5529., 5531., 5533., and 5535. of the Revised Code. All such technicians employed under the authority of this section shall be eligible to receive pay during periods of on the job training or while attending special training schools conducted by the department of transportation. Such employees and appointees, in addition to their salaries, shall receive their actual necessary traveling expenses when on official business.

The director may contract with regional, county, or municipal planning commissions or county engineers having adequate staffs, and with planning agencies of adjacent states, for the preparation of comprehensive transportation and land use studies and major thoroughfare reports, or parts thereof, and pay the commissions, county engineers, or planning agencies of adjacent states for such work from funds available to the department.