Inrix Inc. released their new Midyear 2009 Traffic Congestion report, and Columbus still ranks exactly where it did last year: in 48th place. While that might not sound like much of an announcement, it’s worth noting that their findings actually show a 27% increase in traffic congestion in the Columbus metro area between 2008 and 2009. Inrix also ranks cities based on travel times during peak hours, and we managed to move up two places there from 56th to 54th.

We’re still a far cry from Los Angeles though. It should come as no surprise that they claim the number one spot both for worst congestion and longest travel times. The full report can be viewed here, and the Inrix press release can be read here.

John Wirtz has posted up a question on the local transportation blog Xing Columbus, and he wants to know if your commute sucks, and if so… why does it suck? The question has been recently posed nationally with a new online campaign rolled out by the Transportation for America group, which as John notes, seems to mostly be an outlet for people to vent frustrations in a system that they’ve been subscribing to for years.

Instead of spending all of your energy trying to affect policy and legislation, what John is asking via Xing is for people to attempt to vote with your feet. Try to make life choices with transportation options in mind. It’s easier said than done, but living closer to work, or working closer to home is the number one way to make that commute suck a little bit less.

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COTA has just announced their seasonal route updates that will take effect on May 4th. One of the biggest changes is the addition of the #66 express bus that runs between Hilliard and OSU four times per day during the morning and evening commutes. Additional route changes and upgrades affect lines 1, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, as well as many of the suburban express routes.

To view a full list of the changes, click here. (PDF)

Press Release:
COTA’s Growth Outpaces Transit Agencies in Ohio and Nationally

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) provided over 16.4 million passenger trips in 2008, an increase of nearly 10 percent over 2007.  On an average weekday, 57,000 passenger trips are taken on COTA.

Nationally, public transit ridership was up 4 percent in 2008 according to a report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on Monday.  Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation last year, the highest level of ridership in 52 years. [Read More]

The Dispatch wrote New stretch of Rt. 161 to offer faster commute

Sunday, October 19, 2008

BY ELIZABETH GIBSON

After they leave work Tuesday, drivers headed home between Franklin County and Granville in Licking County should save five to seven minutes on their commute along a new, four-lane stretch of Rt. 161, officials said.

The Ohio Department of Transportation will cut the ribbon on a 7-mile stretch of the new 65 mph roadway between New Albany and Watkins Road on Tuesday morning and then open it to the public that afternoon.

Drivers will still have slower going between Watkins Road and Granville to the east. ODOT officials expect to finish widening that stretch by May 2010 in the second phase of the $160 million project. Once the project is complete, Stickle said, it should save an estimated 22,000 daily commuters about 15 minutes each way.

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Related Stories:

- New $134 Million I-270/Rt. 161 Interchange Opens

- Road budgets falling behind need for repair

- ODOT Kicks Off $2.5 Billion Construction Season

drivescore.fizber.com wrote What is Drive Score?

Drive Score shows a map of what establishments are in a property’s neighborhood and calculates a Drive Score based on the number of places within a convenient driving distance. With Drive Score, buyers can see how close establishments are by car. Homes are often located in an area where restaurants, libraries, grocery stores, hospitals and other businesses are easier to get to by car than on foot.

How it works:

The greater number of businesses nearby, the higher the Drive Score. It is really very important for home buyers to be aware of nearby infrastructure to make their choice. This option will enable home buyers make searches with much more confidence. Directions are available by clicking on any icon shown on the map.

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Related Stories:

- Walk Score: How Walkable Is Your House?

- Columbus Ranked 27th Most Walkable City

- Long commutes get worse with rising gas prices

- Daily commute is residents’ biggest pollution threat

- Will the exodus to the hinterlands run out of gas?

The Dispatch wrote Buses, bicycles, van pools can get you to work

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

BY TIM DOULIN

High gas prices and a tight economy are pushing commuters out of their comfort zone behind the wheel of their car, pickup truck or sport-utility vehicle. For some, the alternative to driving alone to work is a big step, a sometimes scary one. But those interviewed who have made the jump are sold on leaving the car behind.

If it has been awhile since you’ve ridden the bus, or you never have, go to www.cota.com and check out “New Riders” and “Riding COTA.” It tells you all you need to know about riding the bus.

Jeff Stephens, executive director of Consider Biking, a bicycling advocacy group in Columbus, said: “I would encourage people to take that old bike out of the garage and tidy it up a bit or to go to a shop where you can get something that fits you and is safe.”

For new riders uncomfortable in traffic and unfamiliar with the rules of the road, the Ohio Department of Transportation provides a booklet called “Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts.”

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Columbus Business First wrote Study: Columbus traffic congestion among nation’s 50 worst

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Columbus commuters staring at a sea of brake lights during rush hour can at least take comfort that their counterparts in 47 other cities are worse off when they drive in their communities, according to a new study.

Data from Kirkland, Wash.-based Inrix Inc. released Tuesday ranked metropolitan Columbus the 48th most congested city in the nation. Highway congestion in the city, surpassed by 33rd-ranked Cincinnati and 36th-ranked Cleveland, increased 2 percent since 2006, in line with the national average, the study concluded.

The cities that ranked highest in the Inrix study were the usual suspects - Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Washington, D.C., and Dallas made up the top five.

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The Dispatch wrote Long commutes get worse

Thursday, March 13, 2008

BY MARY BETH LANE AND RANDY LUDLOW

Commuters who roll up major mileage between home and work are burning an ever-larger portion of their paychecks in their gas tanks.

Record gasoline prices of about $3.45 a gallon are hitting home hardest among those who drive long distances to earn a buck.

Nearly 10 percent of Ohioans drive 45 minutes or more to work, according to 2006 U.S. Census figures. For others, driving is their job.

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Related Stories:

- Gasoline prices: Expect $4 by Memorial Day

- Gas prices help COTA attract riders

The Dispatch wrote City wants to improve traffic flow by synchronizing signals with neighboring towns

Thursday, February 21, 2008

BY TIM DOULIN

Timing is everything when it comes to traffic signals. Few things annoy drivers more than being kept waiting at red light after red light. Take heart, rush-hour commuters. Columbus is planning to synchronize its traffic lights with more of its neighboring communities.

Although it might be a few years before the idea becomes a widespread reality, the payoff is better traffic flow between Columbus and bordering municipalities. “We are building for the traffic-signal system to be a more integrated resource for the whole region, rather than just a Columbus thing,” said Eagan Foster, the Columbus traffic-operations engineer.

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