Columbus Road Safety Overview
Columbus, the capital of Ohio, is known for its rich history and many attractions. What it may not be so well known for, though, is the city’s efforts toward road safety—it deserves more recognition for this.
Road safety in Columbus is overseen by the Division of Mobility and Parking Services (MAPS).
This government division handles almost every conceivable aspect of road safety to reduce the risk of pedestrian, bicycle, and car accidents in Columbus, including:
- Conducting safety studies
- Reviewing traffic signals and maintaining them
- Upgrading and enhancing intersections
- Planning mobility options
- Designing thoroughfares
MAPS is also focused on creating a cleaner and healthier city. It implements initiatives and improvements that are designed to encourage carpooling, walking, biking, and public transportation. The following are examples of how MAPS balances these goals in Columbus.
Central Ohio Transit Authority Bus Service
The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) runs buses throughout Columbus and nearby areas. This service has 29 local lines and nine crosstown lines. Additionally, it adds another 14 rush hour lines that encourage residents to use this service to get to work.
MAPS assists COTA by analyzing road use and traffic patterns. It makes recommendations that can improve the popularity of this service. For example, the following are some options that have arisen thanks to this relationship.
Park and Ride
There are 24 park-and-ride locations throughout the city and nearby areas. This service allows people who don’t live on bus lines to drive to a nearby location and then use public transportation for the rest of their trip. Decreasing the number of cars on the road, especially during rush hour traffic, significantly increases road safety for everybody.
Bike N’ Bus
All COTA buses are equipped with a rack that holds up to two bikes securely. With this feature, passengers can ditch the car completely and get where they are going with only a bike and public transportation.
The Columbus Bike Share Network
Speaking of bikes, Columbus has an exceptional bike-share network called CoGo Bike Share. Residents can purchase a 24-hour, 3-day, or annual membership.
The network also encourages bike use for short trips. The first 30 minutes of bike use are free each time you check out a bike. This is particularly effective in Columbus, where much of the downtown area is easily within a 30-minute bike ride.
Finally, the high-quality bicycles offered by the CoGo Bike Share Network are well-maintained. This program uses three-speed bikes that have adjustable seats, fenders, safety lights, tampering protection, and a basket.
Over 100 Miles of Bikeways
You can use your personal bicycle or ride a rented bike from CoGo Bike Share on any of the over 100 miles of multi-use paths in and around the city. These paths allow bike users to travel around town without sharing the road with motor vehicles.
Instead, they share the paths with other cyclists, joggers, and walkers. If you do get into an accident on one of these routes, it will likely be less serious than an accident on a roadway.
Anti-Bike-Theft Program
The city also has a program designed to prevent bike theft. The Bug Your Bike program allows you to register bikes and increase the likelihood that they are recovered. If you join this program, the city will provide you with a free RFID chip that can be tracked and potentially used by the police to recover your bike if it is stolen.
Alternative Fueling Station Locator
Columbus offers a different type of safety service to anyone who drives a non-standard vehicle. If you drive a car that uses alternative fuel, the city will help you find places to fuel up, preventing you from getting stranded.
This service covers:
- Electric
- Propane
- Hydrogen
- Ethanol
- Biodiesel
- CNG
- LNG
While the fueling station locator is a national resource, you can easily access it from the Mobility & Getting Around web page run by MAPS. This simple resource is invaluable for an increasing number of car owners.
Other Alternative Fuel Support
Columbus doesn’t just help you find stations. It also provides alternative energy for its residents. The city operates two fast-fill CNG fueling stations that are open to the public. Furthermore, there are more than twenty electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city, and there are plans to expand that number significantly.
Fuel support may not seem like a road safety issue until you are driving through central Ohio and are down to your final few minutes of drive time. When that happens, being able to easily find a recharge station can mean the difference between continuing your trip and being stuck in the middle of nowhere for hours.
Guaranteed Rides Home
Public transportation, ride-sharing, walking, and biking all make roads safer. However, they all create a new danger for people who use them. When you aren’t traveling in your own car, you are at greater risk of getting caught somewhere without a reliable means of transportation.
For example, if you always use the bus to get to work, what do you do if an emergency arises and the bus isn’t available for your return trip? You could find yourself trapped, potentially dozens of miles from home.
Columbus is part of the Gohio program. This program offers benefits to commuters who use alternative modes of transportation.
One of those benefits is full reimbursement for cab fare home up to four times per year. This benefit can only be used if there is an emergency or bad weather that prevents you from getting home in the way you expected to get home.
Thus, if you walk somewhere and there is an unexpected cold snap, you can get reimbursed for your cab ride home.
A Robust Road Safety Program in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus takes road safety very seriously and has implemented several programs that help people, especially those who use non-standard transportation. Some of these may not seem like road safety programs, but they all create a safe transportation experience for everyone. If you live in Columbus, you should take advantage of these unique options.