OH: Be a Transit Planner for a Day

June 2, 2014
ODOT invites Ohio residents to build their own transit system.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is asking Ohio residents to design the transit system that they would like to ride.

ODOT has designed an interactive tool and survey that lets users decide what the priorities should be – and matches those with the dollars it takes to deliver them. The survey also illustrates the community benefits based on how funds are spent, helping users understand the trade-offs that decision-makers must face as they invest in our transit systems. 

For example, residents of urban areas like Akron or Toledo may want more bus service, running more often, on more days. Those who live in rural areas like Athens or Holmes counties may want van service that takes them to medical appointments or shopping locations. All across Ohio, residents may be thinking of new types of vehicles, services, and technology, which the survey will also help measure.

Ohioans are encouraged to use the interactive tool and take the online survey by June 30.

The survey findings will assist ODOT’s evaluation of how transit needs and preferences vary by audience, region and experience. This feedback, along with other analyses of Ohio’s unique transit needs and the nation’s best practices, will shape recommendations produced by the ODOT Statewide Transit Needs Study, expected by the end of this year.