Transit Columbus, a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization created in 2011, is an advocacy group dedicated to improving public transportation, walking, and biking infrastructure in the central Ohio region.
Its mission is to transform our transportation & mobility options to center people and communities, increase equity, and expand opportunity. The Transit Columbus Board is made up of community members whose primary means of transportation are bus, bicycle, wheelchair, or walking. Their lived experiences allow them to advocate for the prioritization of people over cars.
Transit Columbus meets every second Tuesday at the Main Library from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Donate to Transit Columbus.
The Current Reality
One in ten Columbus households doesn’t have access to a car. And this doesn’t include households who have access to an unreliable car, or a car they can’t afford. Lack of access to reliable transit is a huge barrier to having steady work, being able to access healthcare, being able to buy groceries & other necessities, and staying connected to family & community.
The central Ohio region is on track to reach nearly 3.15 million residents by 2050. With the rate the metropolitan area is growing, there will not be space for nine out of ten households to have cars. Pollution from private transportation is harmful to our health, our environment, and our community. Transit Columbus is fighting for a future where residents can move and connect freely, without fear for their future, their family, their jobs, and their lives.
LinkUs & BikePlus Implementation
The LinkUs and BikePlus programs have the potential to massively improve & reshape transit options through Bus Rapid Transit, additional sidewalks, and a network of safe bicycle infrastructure. LinkUS will increase COTA service by 45% over 2019 levels, plus add hundreds of miles of new sidewalks, bikeways, & shared use paths. BikePlus aims to create a network of bike infrastructure across the central Ohio region, including protected lanes, bike boulevards, and greenways.
Transit Columbus’ priorities include: (1) dedicated right-of-way Bus Rapid Transit routes through LinkUs corridors, (2) dedicated funding for BikePlus projects and implementation of BikePlus policies, (3) true protection for bike infrastructure, and (4) increased funding opportunities at the state level through flex funds.
Now that the LinkUs COTA levy has passed and the BikePlus plan has been adopted, the focus will shift to implementation of these projects to ensure that central Ohio residents will see the improvements they were promised. Learn more about LinkUs and BikePlus.
infrastructure improvements to Reduce Traffic Deaths
Columbus aims to reduce traffic deaths to zero by 2035. This must be accomplished through infrastructure improvements that prioritize the safety of all road users, including & especially those not in cars.
Transit Columbus’ priorities include: (1) adoption of the best complete streets policy in the country, (2) an increase in dedicated multi-modal project funding at the local level from $6 million to $25 million, (3) easy public access to information on Department of Public Service projects, and (4) increased funding opportunities at the state level through flex funds.
A complete streets policy is a framework that provides requirements & guidance for how streets are designed and built. Its purpose is to focus on the safety of all road users, including pedestrians & bicyclists. A robust complete streets policy is critical to meeting the stated goal of zero traffic fatalities, but such policies are effective only if they are actionable, measurable, and backed by the appropriate funding mechanisms.
Zero Fare COTA Service
Payment is a huge hurdle to many transit riders. Removing the barriers of cost & technology not only makes it easier for people to use public transit, but also increases the speed of boarding, takes pressure off operators to collect fares, and removes systemic barriers for folks otherwise seeking lower fares.
Transit Columbus’ priorities include: (1) a short-term roadmap to zero-fares, starting with easily identifiable populations like students, veterans, disabled persons, & low income residents, (2) a long-term roadmap to zero-fare COTA service beyond 2028, (3) identification of funding streams to achieve zero fares without reducing service, and (4) supportive policies to ensure the safety of transit operators in a zero-fare environment.
Fares make up only a small percentage of COTA’s annual revenue and removing them would eliminate the costs associated with fare collection. To make zero-fare service feasible without negatively affecting service, other municipalities have found alternate sources of funding to adequately replace the revenue generated by fares.
Passenger Rail Service for Central Ohio
The Federal Railroad Administration has identified four projects in Ohio for further study. Transit Columbus will advocate for these projects to increase fast, affordable inter-city travel opportunities.
Key components include: (1) the reintroduction of Ohio into The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, (2) approval of federal funding to Ohio passenger rail projects, in particular the 3C+D line (Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, & Dayton) and the Midwest Connect line (Pittsburgh to Chicago via Columbus & Fort Wayne). Transit Columbus is partnering with All Aboard Ohio to pressure the statehouse to provide the funding necessary to design and build the identified projects.
Green Social Housing
Transit and housing are inextricably tied. Housing choices are limited by affordability, but also by access to reliable transit & mobility options. While there is plenty of focus on increasing housing stock through zoning updates & development incentives, market-driven mechanisms ignore affordability, resulting in housing instability, displacement, and modern-day redlining.
Transit Columbus will advocate for policies, plans, & funding to create & incentivize Green Social Housing (i.e., publicly or communally owned & maintained housing that is mixed income and contains affordable units for long-term residence). Such housing should feature high quality materials, adequate green space, and designs that reduce energy consumption.
Public housing options are necessary to keep people housed safely, comfortably, affordably, and with dignity. Historically, public housing projects resulted in poorly maintained slums, resulting in negative health effects, high levels of stigma, and limited resources. Green Social Housing is designed to be mixed-income, long-term, and community focused.
Transit-oriented development necessarily includes housing. Since decision makers are focused on incentivizing and building housing along new transit corridors, there is a real opportunity to advocate for Green Social Housing as a part of this process.
